The Cost of Having a Child in Jamaica (Kingston)

The true cost of having a child is sometimes sugar-coated. As a matter of fact, many people are ragged on for not reproducing. I can’t see why. We can’t all reproduce. We shouldn’t even attempt it, but that is another story for another day. Many things are typically glossed over in this conversation about how expensive it is to have children in the 21st century, and it (topic) is never-ending.

“If you’re not careful, you might hear things like, “the kids won’t starve” or ”it will work out.” Of course, we know it is true, but maybe, some of us want to provide more for our children than basic needs. And that cost money. A lot of it. That cost is significantly higher when you aspire to give your child the best of everything. That drive is twice as strong when you come from very little yourself.”If you’re not careful, you might hear things like, “the kids won’t starve” or ‘it will work out.” Of course, we know it is true, but maybe, some of us want to provide more for our children than basic needs. And that cost money. A lot of it. That cost is significantly higher when you aspire to give your child the best of everything. That drive is twice as strong when you come from very little yourself.

So I thought I’d take the conversation a bit further and put numbers to thoughts for folks who want kids but have no idea what the actual costs look like. Let’s talk about the money! The actual financial costs associated with having and raising a child, specifically in Kingston, Jamaica, are because that’s where I live.

Considerations

Before we dive in, my kid is five, so I can only speak with certainty on costs thus far. What I know for sure is that more is to come.

Costs differ considerably in other parishes like private education and housing. To put it mildly, though, the cost of living in Kingston is higher than in other parishes. Additionally, public healthcare and education are free. They include specific fees, but for the most part, choosing to use private or public access for these services is a personal choice, whether out of necessity or otherwise.

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Disclaimer, these prices are for 2021.

The Cost of Pregnancy and Birth

Yes, pregnancy. It’s incorrect to think that the financial costs associated with having a child start when the baby comes. It begins well before that. Antenatal care in Jamaica starts when you find out you are expecting. Giving birth in public hospitals in Jamaica is free. In private hospitals, it is not.

The Public System

‘In the public system, you attend a ‘clinic’’. This refers to periodic prenatal visits where your pregnancy is monitored as your pregnancy progresses. It includes things like your initial visit, where you will undergo tests. In the public system, these visits are’‘free’. You will pay minor clinic or hospital registration costs, but overall, most of the costs associated with clinic pregnancy care are minimal. ‘In the public system, you attend a ‘clinic.’ This refers to periodic prenatal visits where your pregnancy is monitored as your pregnancy progresses. It includes things like your initial visit, where you will undergo tests. In the public system, these visits are ‘free.’ You will pay minor clinic or hospital registration costs, but overall, most of the costs associated with clinic pregnancy care are minimal.

The Private System

Many people opt not to use the public system for a myriad of reasons. For example, a person with a job providing health insurance coverage may opt to use a private doctor or specialist for antenatal care. Fees can range up to J$10,000 per visit and up to J$20,000 for initial tests.

Giving birth in a private hospital can cost as much as…

• J$200,000 for a vaginal birth or
• J$500,000 if you give birth via cesarean section.
• More if the birth is complicated.

Most private hospitals also require a deposit on your expected birth type months in advance.

The costs are considerably less if you have health insurance, of course. Depending on the carrier, most insurance companies will cover 80 per cent of charges up to a cap. For maximum coverage, some individuals will use more than one insurance plan. This will mean that one company will cover 80 per cent of the cap, and the other will cover 20 per cent of their cap. In most cases, it means 100 per cent coverage for the insured.

Unless the insurance company decides you aren’t covered for something for some reason. But that’s a whole other rabbit hole.

General

You will also need to pay for services like a Pap smear test, an ultrasound, etc. An ultrasound during pregnancy may range from J$8000 – J$10,000. I’m not sure whether they are conducted free of cost in the public system; however, if there is a charge, it would be under or within this range.

Other costs would be prenatal vitamins, being on a specific diet, new clothes to fit a woman’s expanding figure, etc.

The Cost of Home Life Changes

One of the things that people often forget about the cost of pregnancy is the preparation of your home/living situation for the arrival of a child. Tiny though they may be, babies have a significant presence. For example, my hubby and I had been living in our one-bedroom apartment for a couple of years before we got married. Until I got pregnant, we’d been very comfortable and thought we could go on that way for a little while with a tiny baby.

But very quickly, after buying a few new pieces of furniture, we realized that three definitely was a crowd in that apartment. Our tiny human brought a significant presence with her, so with a newborn in tow, we found ourselves moving to a two-bedroom apartment that cost twice as much in rent and needed new furnishing to account for the space.

All that to say, new furniture, clothes, space, and everything come with a hefty price tag. A crib runs about J$30,000. A good car seat runs upwards of about J$50,000. Breast pumps, strollers, bassinets, and other items to make life with a new baby easier also come with a hefty price tag.

Not to mention, a new human being means all new clothes and care items being outgrown at a nauseating pace. All those cute outfits? Blink, and they no longer fit.

Monthly Expenses

Formula

Baby formula is expensive. Some women can exclusively breastfeed, while others are not or choose not to. But even then, after six months, the formula is needed (unless your kid is like mine and completely snubs formula. Thank God for Lasco, but that isn’t cheap either!)

A small can of formula, lasting a week or less, costs about J$1500 plus GCT. That translates to a minimum price of J$6900 per month.

Diapers

‘Once upon a time, Caribbean parents favoured nappies to secure children’s bums. A white, rectangular cloth intricately folded and secured with jumbo safety pins; it was the norm to see several dozen strung out drying in the hot tropical sun and breeze. If you felt fancy, you had a ‘wet panty,’ a plastic covering for the nappies to help prevent pee and poop from making it to secondary places.’Once upon a time, Caribbean parents favoured nappies to secure children’s bums. A white, rectangular cloth intricately folded and secured with jumbo safety pins; it was the norm to see several dozen strung out drying in the hot tropical sun and breeze. If you felt fancy, you had a ‘wet panty,’ a plastic covering for the nappies to help prevent pee and poop from making it to secondary places.

A white, rectangular cloth intricately folded and secured with jumbo safety pin

What is a nappy?

Nappies have evolved into modern cloth options, but they are still nappies for all intents and purposes. Diapers were luxuries saved for going out, if you bought them at all. Like I said, though, once upon a time. Now, disposable diapers are the norm. (Thank f**k, too. Washing crap-stained white cloths daily would have probably been too much for me to entertain motherhood.)

Diapers are priced depending on the size and number of units in the packaging. Cheaper diapers cost approximately J$1000 for 10. As a parent, you quickly realize that cheap diapers mean more frequent changes and leaks. So they run out twice as fast. As a result, most parents avoid them, going for the more popular brands. Their diaper costs look something like…

• Size 1, 125 pack – J$5,500+
• Size 3, 168 pack – J$8,000+
• Size 5T (pull-ups), 86 pack – J$7,000+

P.S. A box of 100 diapers for a young child lasts about a week and a half to two weeks. So that’s easily a minimum of J$10,000+ monthly, depending on the stage and patterns of your child.

Childcare

Childcare costs vary depending on the services but can range from J$8,000+ per week.

Healthcare

As I mentioned before, healthcare is free, but if you want to avoid the possibility of spending an entire day or waiting months to get a procedure done, you may want to turn to the private system. A pediatric (medical and dental) visit is about J$7,000+.

An independent family health insurance plan costs about J$70,000+ semi-annually.

The Cost of Education

Primary and Secondary

As I’ve mentioned before, education via the public system in Jamaica is free up to the secondary level. The private education system is not. Though the government mandates for kids starting at by four years old, most Jamaicans have their children in school sometime after their second birthday and well before the fourth.

Kingston’s private institutions’ kindergarten/basic school level is brutally expensive. Be prepared to pay between J$70,000 and J$110,000 per term. These figures carry all the way through to secondary schools. For comparison, the fees for private schools in St. Catherine (a neighbouring parish to Kingston and St. Andrew) can be as low as J$20,000 per term.

Tertiary

In Jamaica, tertiary-level education is the responsibility of individuals and/or their parents. The government subsidizes degree programs outside of the medical field, engineering and law at an 80:20 ratio between the government and the individual. These programs cost about $300,000 per year to the individual.

Medicine, engineering and law programs are not subsidized and run over J$1,000,000 per year.

And because I want to give you nightmares, think about the cost of having twins… or other multiples. Lol!

I don’t know whether I’ll get used to the expenses associated with being a parent, but ano go it a guh, a come it a come. I can imagine the cost of having a child if and when I have a second or by the time my one good egg is old enough to have one. Jah!

All that to say, have kids when you are ready and not a moment before. Pickney is pretty but them expensive!

Were you shocked at the cost of having a child? Let me know in the comments.

Xo, Shandean,

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