Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and May Pen

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $726 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$726

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX and in May Pen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $726 in May Pen.

Austin, TX $2,689
May Pen $726

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $822 in May Pen.

Austin, TX $4,112
May Pen $822

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $918 in May Pen.

Austin, TX $5,534
May Pen $918

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 271% more expensive than in May Pen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, May Pen is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

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

$3.65 $3.65

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.21 JMD 349

-49.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.85 JMD 608

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.08 JMD 486

13.64%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$3.48 JMD 549

27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$7.34 JMD 1,158

89.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$5.01 JMD 791

228.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.60 JMD 253

195.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$5.07 JMD 799

-70.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$6.29 JMD 992

-26.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.95 JMD 307

131.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.94 JMD 305

31.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.85 JMD 292

29.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.24 JMD 511

-43.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.88 JMD 455

-26.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.17 JMD 342

29.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.40 JMD 221

-30.00%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

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

$26.8K $26.8K

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

$252 $252

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

$59.8 $59.8

$43.19 JMD 6,814

38.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$54.4 JMD 8,575

28.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

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

$1,458 $1,458

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$15.50 JMD 2,446

239.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$22.34 JMD 3,525

104.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$40.59 JMD 6,405

110.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$54.1 JMD 8,530

95.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$289 JMD 45.6K

339.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for May Pen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

May Pen

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

May Pen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

May Pen

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

May Pen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

May Pen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

May Pen

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

May Pen

–

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇯🇲 May Pen

🕒 Local time

20:22 8:22 PM

21:22 9:22 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

44,755

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇯🇲 Jamaican Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.65 EUR).

JMD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX May Pen 2,480 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
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

Austin, TX vs May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making May Pen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $4,034 in Austin, TX and $1,089 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 46% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $726 in May Pen – May Pen is about 73% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $726 in May Pen versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $800 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes May Pen 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.