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$10k a month to be middle class

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net


A NEW academic study has found that a middle-class family of four in New Providence and Grand Bahama needs over $10,000 a month to sustain a basic lifestyle, with costs in the nation’s capital estimated to be slightly higher than in Grand Bahama.

According to the study, authored by University of The Bahamas researcher Lesvie Archer, families of four in New Providence require a monthly income of $10,200 to support a middle-class standard of living, compared to $10,100 in Grand Bahama.

The slight one percent cost-of-living difference between New Providence and Grand Bahama reflects variations in specific expenses.

For example, while food and “non-food, non-housing” (NFNH) costs are approximately $350 higher in Grand Bahama, housing and utilities costs are $450 lower there compared to New Providence.

“This generates an overall cost difference of $100. Hence, prices differences in factors that composite the total estimate can cancel each other out even when comparing geographically,” the study added.

Expanding on the 2020 Bahamas Living Wages Survey, which calculated minimum living expenses at $4,400 for a family of four New Providence and $5,750 for Grand Bahama, this new research updates the cost-of-living estimates for working-class families, while shifting focus to middle-class standards.

“To account for inflation changes to the current period of interest, the 2024 cost-of-living estimate for a working-class family of four is $5,000 per month in New Providence and $6,600 per month in Grand Bahama,” the study reports.

 “These updated figures accommodate for changes in living standards that are connected to changes in inflation rates since the original data collection and analysis period.”

 Additionally, it found that the cost of middle-class living is over 104 percent higher than the updated expenses for lower-income families in New Providence and 53 percent higher in Grand Bahama.

 Key factors driving this disparity include middle-class families’ preferences concerning housing, shopping locations, and private school education.

 The study estimated that a family of four needs an annual income of approximately $122,400 to maintain a decent middle-class lifestyle in New Providence, while in Grand Bahama, the required annual income is about $121,200.

 While these estimates include basic savings, they do not cover life insurance, private health insurance, national insurance taxes, debt, union dues, or new vehicle purchases.

 Additionally, the study’s estimates focused on rental costs rather than home ownership.

 “On New Providence, prices range from $800 for an unfurnished unit in Stapleton and several eastern communities to $3,000 in Cable Beach.

(Upper-middle income rental homes were distinguished as ranging in cost from $3,000-$8,000 per month and included areas such as Cable Beach, Westridge, Sandyport, and Paradise Island). On Grand Bahama, prices ranged between $1,200 for a two-bedroom in Dolphin Cove to $3,000 in Lucaya Beach.”

 The study follows Anker and Anker’s methodology but also incorporates primary data collected through surveys and interviews, alongside secondary data from international benchmark reports and national statistics.

 According to the report, primary data were collected in March 2022 from designated fieldwork areas in New Providence Island, specifically targeting zones where middle-class families typically work, shop, or live.

 These include communities situated on the outskirts of New Providence, including areas near Yamacraw Hill Road, Cable Beach, Lyford Cay, etc.

 Fieldwork was also conducted in the western part of Grand Bahama, which includes Freeport, Eight Mile Rock, and West End.

 “Other parts of the island are still recovering from damage connected to the 2019 Category 5 Hurricane Dorian. Data was collected on approximately 20 rental units and two stores in Grand Bahama,” the study added.

 The researcher advised that the report could serve as a starting point for shaping policies related to wages, living costs and living standards in the country.

Comments

DWW 1 day, 12 hours ago

yep, $120k a year is a drop in the bucket these days. And DIR wants more and more of that to feed Davis & Co. spending habits.

moncurcool 1 day, 7 hours ago

That's my same question. What middle class family makes 120K a year?

Something is wrong with this study in my estimation.

GodSpeed 22 hours, 44 minutes ago

nothing wrong with the study, something wrong with the system.

IAmOne 1 day, 10 hours ago

Middle class is being defined in an aspirational way in this article (no clear definition). But please tell us more. What percentage of the Bahamian population is currently defined as middle class, working poor, etc? And then show us what the overall population would look like if categorized as ‘middle class’, working poor, etc, foreigners and expats included. It’s seems Bahamians can’t catch a break in The Bahamas, the land of mostly ‘working poor.’

Porcupine 1 day, 9 hours ago

You are correct. This translates into the fact that the vast majority of Bahamian citizens are economically impoverished. So long as we continue to elect leaders who are not only lacking vision, but are corrupt, ignorant and soulless, nothing can change. Even those who I know who are working two or three jobs, are still only making 25K- 30K a year, at best. As I have stated before, the hundreds of millions of dollars spent in the webshops and liquor stores each year are merely symptoms of a society that is sick and ill cared for. The 500 million to 600 hundred million dollars that leaves these shores each year to pay interest only on the loans taken out by our politicians leave little money to care for our own people. Seems like it might be best to outsource the running of this country to foreigners. We have pretty much failed the Bahamian people. Yes?

Observer 1 day, 9 hours ago

What is the true definition of 'middle-class'?This study indicates a 'lavish living'.

birdiestrachan 1 day, 7 hours ago

Nonsense if they continue with this kind of research they the university will loose credibility

Porcupine 1 day, 1 hour ago

You mean like you have lost credibility birdie.

SP 1 day, 3 hours ago

This shouldn't surprise anyone. The Bahamas is well established as being among the 6 most expensive places in the world in which to live!

Individuals making $10K per month would actually be struggling in the "lower" middle class bracket.

How employers sleep at night paying people minimum wage and expect to have happy productive employees is beyond comprehension.

One 6 hours, 38 minutes ago

I don't know how families survive in the Bahamas. You have to be involved in some sort of corruption, depend on connections, handouts, catching/growing your own food, some sort of scheme, etc. There's little to no opportunity to live a middle-class life in the Bahamas through working a 9 to 5 and living an honest life.

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