Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaica’s inflation continues to surge, as prices continues to runaway from target.

The All Jamaica Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, increased by 1.5% in May 2026, largely reflecting a 1.9% rise in the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division. This outturn was primarily driven by higher prices for certain agricultural produce, including tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, ripe bananas, and pineapple, which led to a 4.8% rise in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses’ class.

There was also a 4.7% rise in the ‘Fruits and Nuts’ class. Also contributing was a 5.7% increase in the ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ division, driven by higher prices for meals consumed away from home. 

Disaggregated inflation numbers

The ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ division rose by 0.7%, influenced largely by higher electricity rates. The Statistical Institute of Jamaica reports that as of May 2026, the point-to-point inflation rate was +5.4%, rising from the +4.3% rate recorded for the period April 2025 to April 2026. Compared to April 2026, the CPI rose 1.5% in May 2026.

The divisions contributing most to this were ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ (+8.7%), ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ (+6.9%), and ‘Transport’ (+3.1%). Within the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division, the largest impact came from a 34.3% rise in ‘Fruits and Nuts’ class, reflecting higher prices for ripe bananas, oranges, watermelon and dried coconut. 

There was also a 10.4% rise in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses’ class, driven mainly by higher prices for yellow yam, cabbage, tomatoes, ripe plantains, and green bananas. In the ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ division, the 6.9% increase was primarily driven by a 7.0% rise in the ‘Food and Beverage Serving Services’ group, reflecting higher costs for meals consumed away from home, alongside a 3.2% increase in the ‘Accommodation Services’ group.

The 3.1% increase in the ‘Transport’ division was mainly attributable to a 12.2% rise in the ‘Operation of Personal Transport Equipment’ group, driven by a 15.4% increase in the ‘Fuels and Lubricants for Personal Transport Equipment’ class, resulting from higher petrol prices.

Individual Divisional Monthly Changes — May 2026

• Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: (+1.9%)
• Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics: (+1.5%)
• Clothing and Footwear: (+0.4%)
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels: (+0.7%)
• Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance: (+0.3%)
• Health: (+0.5%)
• Transport: (+0.9%)
• Recreation, Sport and Culture: (+0.3%)
• Restaurants and Accommodation Services: (+5.7%)
• Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods and Services: (+0.5%)