Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cordoba and Montego Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Montego Bay: $1,169 a month against $1,368 in Cordoba, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cordoba
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,368
/mo nomad
Montego Bay
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,169
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cordoba and in Montego Bay

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

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Cordoba vs $1,169 in Montego Bay, rent included.

  • Cordoba $1,368
  • Montego Bay $1,169

A couple spends around $2,259 per month in Cordoba vs $2,141 in Montego Bay, rent included.

  • Cordoba $2,259
  • Montego Bay $2,141

A family of three spends $3,150 per month in Cordoba vs $3,113 in Montego Bay, rent included.

  • Cordoba $3,150
  • Montego Bay $3,113

Cordoba costs about 17% more than Montego Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Cordoba sits 1% above the global median, while Montego Bay is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.43 ARS 20.4K
$11.14 JMD 1,760
20.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9 ARS 83.3K
$74.1 JMD 11.7K
-25.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.03 ARS 19.8K
$8.35 JMD 1,319
56.05%
Cappuccino
$3.59 ARS 5,447
$5.22 JMD 825
-31.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 ARS 3,871
$0.94 JMD 149
171.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 ARS 3,198
$0.70 JMD 110
201.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.38 ARS 5,132
$2.17 JMD 343
55.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ARS 5,729
$3.06 JMD 484
23.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 ARS 2,553
$3.30 JMD 522
-49.09%
White Bread (500g)
$2.76 ARS 4,194
$2.61 JMD 413
5.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 ARS 3,122
$1.38 JMD 217
49.28%
Eggs
$2.38 ARS 3,609
$3.48 JMD 550
-31.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 ARS 15.3K
$11.24 JMD 1,775
-10.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.02 ARS 12.2K
$6.13 JMD 968
30.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.62 ARS 17.6K
$9.05 JMD 1,430
28.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.44 ARS 3,704
$4.03 JMD 637
-39.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 ARS 3,462
$2.53 JMD 400
-9.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,436
$7.28 JMD 1,151
-77.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.91 ARS 4,419
$2.45 JMD 388
18.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 ARS 1,794
$2.44 JMD 386
-51.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 ARS 2,041
$2.66 JMD 420
-49.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 ARS 1,861
$2.55 JMD 403
-51.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ARS 2,668
$0.77 JMD 121
128.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.10 ARS 7,734
$9.16 JMD 1,447
-44.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.86 ARS 7,372
$11.14 JMD 1,760
-56.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 ARS 3,424
$2.80 JMD 442
-19.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 ARS 5,518
$4.05 JMD 640
-10.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.27 ARS 1,921
$0.96 JMD 152
32.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.5 ARS 84.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ARS 1,950
$0.93 JMD 147
37.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 ARS 2,958
$3.17 JMD 501
-38.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.18 ARS 10.9K
$6.25 JMD 988
14.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 ARS 1,757
$1.35 JMD 214
-14.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K ARS 54.1M
$44.2K JMD 7.0M
-19.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2K ARS 53.4M
$32.6K JMD 5.2M
7.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 ARS 245.7K
$170 JMD 26.8K
-4.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.47 ARS 26.5K
$22.58 JMD 3,567
-22.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.87 ARS 48.4K
$47.32 JMD 7,477
-32.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.21 ARS 42.8K
$44.55 JMD 7,038
-36.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.72 ARS 34.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.91 ARS 15.0K
$8.65 JMD 1,367
14.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$218 ARS 330.8K
$355 JMD 56.0K
-38.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,059 ARS 6.2M
$8,218 JMD 1.3M
-50.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$125 ARS 190.0K
$23.50 JMD 3,713
432.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$105 ARS 158.8K
$30.80 JMD 4,866
239.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 ARS 211.4K
$67.9 JMD 10.7K
105.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 ARS 203.4K
$102 JMD 16.1K
31.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$483 ARS 732.5K
$318 JMD 50.2K
51.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$304 ARS 460.6K
$222 JMD 35.1K
36.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 ARS 1.5M
$934 JMD 147.6K
5.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$784 ARS 1.2M
$934 JMD 147.6K
-16.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,807 ARS 4.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,613 ARS 2.4M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cordoba
Montego Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$658 ARS 998.3K
$595 JMD 94.0K
10.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
48.5
9.45
413.23%

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

Last update for Cordoba: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cordoba
$304
Montego Bay
$222 26.7% $81
Groceries & Markets
Cordoba
$275
Montego Bay
$323 17.7% $49
Eating Out
Cordoba
$233
Montego Bay
$200 13.9% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Cordoba
$226
Montego Bay
$101 55.4% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cordoba
$211
Montego Bay
$239 13.3% $28
Getting Around
Cordoba
$72
Montego Bay
$21 * 71.2% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Cordoba
$48
Montego Bay
$62 28.8% $14

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Cordoba versus $318 in Montego Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Cordoba, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Cordoba versus $74.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $323 – making Cordoba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Cordoba
🇯🇲 Montego Bay
🕒 Local time
08:34 8:34 AM
06:34 6:34 AM
2 h behind Cordoba
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,655,481
110,115
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cordoba Montego Bay 5,740 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cordoba
  • Montego Bay

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
Cordoba vs Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montego Bay cheaper than Cordoba?
Yes – Cordoba is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Cordoba and $1,753 in Montego Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montego Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Cordoba or in Montego Bay?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Cordoba and $74.0 in Montego Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Cordoba and in Montego Bay?
Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Cordoba – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Cordoba or in Montego Bay?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Montego Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Cordoba at $1,368. In Montego Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cordoba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cordoba or Montego Bay more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Montego Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Cordoba or Montego Bay?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Montego Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cordoba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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