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Thanks for the report (always makes the next upcoming trip seem closer)! As for the beer costs at Sunnyside and Tony's, I think both places take jamaican 100s on par with the dollar still (correct me if I'm wrong Rob)? So that will get you 3 beers for the cost of 2 with the exchange rate...
Tony's Hut no longer has that practice, last time there I paid J$750 for a Red Stripe. Which will probably be the last time I am there....Quote:
Originally Posted by ukran1ans
Ouch, yeah that's pretty steep...Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob
RobQuote:
Originally Posted by Rob
Do you think J$750 will be trending to the rest of Negril in the future?
The prices JohnNYC quoted is his trip report are dead on accurate. Tony's Hut is using the inter-bank rate of 150j to 1us$. That is a little extreme considering that same beer can be purchased at Red Dragon for j$250. (Probably soon to be $300).Quote:
Originally Posted by CG1404
The average beach price is around us$5, cliff price j$400, most everywhere else at j$350.
Tony's Hut is the only place I frequent that is using that exchange rate. Well, used to frequent anyways. Obviously Tony doesn't want local business anymore. The Cambios exchange at j$145 to us$1.
My question to you all is how does the average Jamaican man and women living in Negril survive the current cost of living that seems to be the norm. 5 USD for a Red Stripe??? I understand that bar and restaurant owners need to make a living but from the sound of things some of these local businesses will self destruct....
Johng,Quote:
Originally Posted by johng
I don't understand your question. Who said us$5 is the normal price for a Red Stripe?
What I said was "The average beach price is around us$5, cliff price j$400, most everywhere else at j$350."
The average Jamaican does not frequent tourist locations such as beach or cliff bars. We tend to go everywhere else, which is j$350, not us$5 for a Red Stripe.
Also, surviving here is not done on Red Stripe. Better measures of the cost of living are made with staple items such as milk, eggs, butter, bread, flour, etc. Milk is now about $500 a litre, up about $200 pre-pandemic. Eggs are $1000 for 30, up about $300. Bread is about the same price, butter about double. Flour, salt and sugar slightly higher.
Meat is about double so one has to be creative when feeding a family.
It is not easy. Which may account for some of the higher beer prices.
Since JohnNYC's trip report got hijacked, those posts are moved here to continue without interruption to John's post.
Hmmm, I think Rob may have been hijacked. I can't imagine him using the following words
"Also, surviving here is not done on Red Stripe."
A stripe as mentioned here is 5$ many places but of course with a tax and service charge that some places charge, the beer is 6$ and oh...put a tip on top..yikes!
Just my humble opinion:
Current beer prices at my local tavern for a can of PBR or Narragansett are around $3 USD per can. Any national brand ( Bud, Miller or Coors) $6USD. Craft beer starts at $7USD and upwards.
Paying $5USD for an ice cold red stripe at Tony's Hut is okay with me.
You can't beat the view! Certainly a better view than my local tavern.
Tony is a great guy and I have spent a few memorable afternoons hanging at his bar chatting with him about the runnings in Negril!
Respect,
VVHT aka Happy
Sorry, I should have known that a Red Strip price question would morph down this path...Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob
No worries, just unhijacked it...Quote:
Originally Posted by ukran1ans
Prices are all over the place.
And for new comers to Negril, Red Dragon is a local bar off the beaten path, which just so happens to be a great place to hang out!
$3USD/12 eggs is a pretty good deal. Here in Chicago, fancy eggs (fancy = as good as JA eggs) are around $5.
For a dozen eggs it is over j$600. That's over $4us. And don't forget to add 15% for gct to all the prices, so it is very close to $5us for a dozen. The deal starts at 30 eggs minimum.Quote:
Originally Posted by Odinson
Regarding the Cost of Living what is the current minimum wage in Jamaica please??
The national minimum wage in Jamaica is $13,000 per 40 hour work week as of June 1, 2023. This is an increase from $9,000 per 40 hour work week which was effective April 1, 2022.Quote:
Originally Posted by johng
The wage never quite reaches the us$100 per week figure, by the time the government raises it, it is usually in the us$50 to $60 range.
That is so sad and why our dollars are so important. I know prices have gone up there just like everywhere else and it does affect everyone’s vacation budget. I have found prices for food and drink to be no more than we would expect to pay at home. In many cases cheaper than we would pay for anything comparable and not in paradise. Popular places can get away with charging more, in most cases anyway. They’ll find out quickly if they’ve exceeded what their clients are willing to fork out. Please always tip well for good service and friendly people. That puts the money directly into the pockets of people that are sometimes living on less than $3 US an hour. Three months until I get my overpriced beer on the beach. grinQuote:
Originally Posted by Rob
"The wage never quite reaches the us$100 per week figure, by the time the government raises it, it is usually in the us$50 to $60 range."
Very sad. We spend more than that on a nice lunch. This is why I always tip well. And before I hear comments from the tip haters, yes, I tip everyone I come in contact with from the gardener on up, and this applies wherever I stay. If we can afford vacations like we do, the least we can do is help those who help us enjoy ourselves.
JohnNYC,
Nice trip report and glad you had a great trip. I agree with you 100% the wages that Jamaicans are paid is very sad. I used the "Red Stripe Comparison" only as a context. So If a Jamaican worker earns $50 USD in a week he could buy 10 Red Stripes at Tony's. 10 beers for 40 hours of work often times hard labor of some sort. Yes I'm sure that there are instances in the world where is is even worse but Jamaica is where we, who post on this board, Love!!!
Johng,Quote:
Originally Posted by johng
I can say confidentiality that no Jamaican earning minimum wage will purchase a beer for us$5. That is why I stated that Tony was no longer interested in the local business and will focus on his tourism business.
Being in my position, I have to visit tourism establishments often and I never see other locals at these establishments without a tourist host. The locals simply can't afford it. Even a j$500 Red Stripe is tough to swallow (pun intended).
Drifters has a unique deal. They have the regular 341ml stubby bottle Red Stripe for j$500. But they offer the weird "tall" 250ml bottle for j$250. That makes it possible for some locals to actually buy their own beer at Drifters and enjoy it for themselves.
One of the reasons Red Dragon is so popular is that locals and tourists can mix in the same establishment and our visitors get to mix with Jamaicans on an equal footing.
The us$5 places will make their money but I think an essential feature of Negril may be lost without the local perspective (other than the bartender).
But there are PLENTY local bars to visit not on the beach.
The days of cheap drinks on the beach are pretty much gone in Negril unless you're bringing your own cooler down each day which is why I like NBCC as many do that there. Mixed drinks seem to be worse than beer. From what I saw it was pretty much $1,000-1,500 JMD for a single shot mixed drink in a tiny cup at most places on the beach in June. I don't mind paying that for a solid stiff drink but not for something I down in two gulps. I tend to agree with Rob on going to bars off the beach. Plenty downtown, in Red Ground, Sheffield, and in the west end generally across the street from the ocean rather than on it where there is a good mix of seasoned tourists or ex-pats with locals with reasonable prices. The bar restaurant at Winners Plaza downtown is one I like that has great a/c and pretty good local food. They sell Q's too that in my opinion give you the best bang for your buck. I plan on making Rocky's a regular stop from now on when I'm downtown too after meeting Rob there a couple of months ago.
Tried to check out Rocky's but they were closed. It was Sunday, so he was either that or it was too early. We were very disappointed and didn't get a chance to try again.
Rockies is closed on Sundays.
Alot of patrons at White Sands also bring down coolers of Stripes during the beach day (my solution is my giant bubba cup filled with ice, rum and cokes which I keep refilled from my beach bag and ice refills from tips at the bar). I don't start buying drinks til happy hour. This helps me keep the budget reasonable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Corey K
As reasonable as stripes were at Idle, we too had a cooler for the balcony & beach. We made sure to take care of the staff during meals & smoothie breaks.
Sunnyside is still charging fair prices, us$3.50 a Red Stripe or j$400.
The sunset is coming, time to find out what my friends are doing....