Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and May Pen

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $722 a month against $998 in Alexandria, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Alexandria despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Alexandria
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Alexandria Living Index

Jump to prices

Alexandria

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$998

/mo nomad

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$722

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alexandria and in May Pen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alexandria and in May Pen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $998 in Alexandria versus $722 in May Pen.

Alexandria $998
May Pen $722

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Alexandria versus $819 in May Pen.

Alexandria $1,658
May Pen $819

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,317 in Alexandria versus $916 in May Pen.

Alexandria $2,317
May Pen $916

Living in Alexandria is roughly 38% more expensive than in May Pen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 26% lower, May Pen 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.42 JMD 2,120

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 JMD 1,298

Cappuccino

$5.37 JMD 849

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 JMD 183

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 JMD 351

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 491

Milk (1 liter)

$4.20 JMD 664

$2.26 JMD 357

85.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 JMD 586

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 248

$3.09 JMD 489

-49.19%

Eggs

$3.63 JMD 573

$3.45 JMD 544

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.31 JMD 1,787

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 976

$7.66 JMD 1,210

-19.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 JMD 1,611

$5.06 JMD 800

101.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 JMD 938

$1.55 JMD 244

283.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 JMD 610

$5.16 JMD 816

-25.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.13 JMD 1,127

$6.21 JMD 981

14.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 480

$1.93 JMD 306

57.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 JMD 501

$1.92 JMD 303

65.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 JMD 420

$1.83 JMD 289

45.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 484

$3.23 JMD 510

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$2.77 JMD 437

-48.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 JMD 1,519

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 JMD 1,755

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 437

$2.14 JMD 338

29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 JMD 642

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 JMD 183

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 JMD 501

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 JMD 967

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 220

$1.42 JMD 224

-2.11%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.3K JMD 5.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$165 JMD 26.1K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.45 JMD 4,653

$42.80 JMD 6,762

-31.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 JMD 8,382

$53.5 JMD 8,447

-0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.30 JMD 2,101

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$364 JMD 57.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,298 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.82 JMD 3,764

$15.99 JMD 2,526

48.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 JMD 5,039

$21.55 JMD 3,405

47.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 JMD 12.0K

$41.56 JMD 6,566

82.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.1K

$53.3 JMD 8,421

91.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 JMD 45.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alexandria: October 13, 2026

Last update for May Pen: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Alexandria

$380 38.1%

May Pen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alexandria

$247 24.8%

May Pen

–

Eating Out

Alexandria

$221 22.2%

May Pen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Alexandria

$105 10.5%

May Pen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Alexandria

$27 * 2.7%

May Pen

–

Getting Around

Alexandria

$17 * 1.7%

May Pen

–

Accommodation & Living

Alexandria

- * 0%

May Pen

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇯🇲 Alexandria

🇯🇲 May Pen

🕒 Local time

07:34 7:34 AM

Same time as Alexandria

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,927

44,755

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Alexandria May Pen 38 km

From you

Alexandria
May Pen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Alexandria vs May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria and May Pen differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($998 vs $722 including rent). May Pen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,497 in Alexandria and $1,083 in May Pen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Alexandria. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $998 per month in Alexandria versus $722 in May Pen – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though May Pen gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Alexandria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.