Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Montego Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Montego Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $872 in Alexandria versus $1,314 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Alexandria versus $1,787 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,982 in Alexandria versus $2,261 in Montego Bay.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 34% less than in Montego Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 35% lower, Montego Bay 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 JMD 1,193

$7.54 JMD 1,186

0.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 JMD 9,901

$50.3 JMD 7,906

25.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 JMD 1,341

$7.38 JMD 1,161

15.58%

Cappuccino

$4.45 JMD 700

$4.31 JMD 678

3.25%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.33 JMD 209

2.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.76 JMD 120

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 404

$2.43 JMD 382

5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 503

$3.18 JMD 500

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 686

$2.53 JMD 397

72.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 JMD 545

$2.76 JMD 434

25.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

Eggs

$3.60 JMD 566

$3.56 JMD 559

1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 JMD 1,729

$10.94 JMD 1,721

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,014

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 JMD 1,189

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 JMD 941

$3.42 JMD 537

74.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 487

$3.14 JMD 494

-1.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 JMD 668

$2.71 JMD 427

56.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$1.75 JMD 275

67.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 315

$2.03 JMD 319

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 303

$1.13 JMD 178

70.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 471

$1.91 JMD 301

57.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$0.95 JMD 149

51.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 JMD 1,395

$9.03 JMD 1,420

-1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 JMD 1,822

$11.28 JMD 1,774

2.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JMD 453

$2.11 JMD 332

36.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$3.16 JMD 497

0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 JMD 151

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 176

$0.91 JMD 143

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

$3.21 JMD 505

-0.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 JMD 995

$6.40 JMD 1,006

-1.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 JMD 200

$1.29 JMD 203

-1.55%

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

0.14%

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-0.09%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$163 JMD 25.6K

1.16%

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

$22.41 JMD 3,525

$21.15 JMD 3,327

5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 JMD 8,044

$47.83 JMD 7,523

6.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.84 JMD 5,952

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 JMD 2,100

$7.55 JMD 1,188

76.82%

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

$229 JMD 36.0K

$63.0 JMD 9,905

263.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,491 JMD 391.7K

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

30.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.28 JMD 4,133

$25.80 JMD 4,058

1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.90 JMD 4,075

$19.75 JMD 3,106

31.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 JMD 11.0K

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 JMD 12.1K

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 JMD 41.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 JMD 70.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 JMD 102.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 JMD 69.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 JMD 86.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

14.38%

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

Last update for Alexandria: June 8, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Alexandria vs $50.0 in Montego Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $284 per month, with Montego Bay cheaper across the board.

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 Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria and Montego Bay differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($872 vs $1,314 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,308 in Alexandria and $1,971 in Montego Bay 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.

Childcare runs $229 in Alexandria versus $63.0 in Montego Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $50.0 in Montego Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $872 in Alexandria versus $1,314 in Montego Bay, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Montego Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Montego Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.