Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncans and May Pen Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncans and May Pen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Duncans vs $646 in May Pen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,423 per month in Duncans vs $987 in May Pen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,952 per month in Duncans vs $1,328 in May Pen, rent included.

Duncans costs about 38% more than May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Duncans and May Pen are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 34% lower, May Pen 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 JMD 1,168

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,765

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 JMD 1,350

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 693

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

$1.36 JMD 215

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 118

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 391

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 492

Milk (1 liter)

$4.28 JMD 677

$2.23 JMD 353

91.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 574

$3.84 JMD 608

-5.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 244

$3.10 JMD 491

-50.32%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 548

$3.28 JMD 519

5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 JMD 1,721

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 JMD 1,003

$7.58 JMD 1,199

-16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 JMD 1,228

$4.98 JMD 788

55.82%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 JMD 956

$1.55 JMD 245

289.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 488

$5.13 JMD 811

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 662

$6.27 JMD 993

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 486

$1.86 JMD 294

65.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 333

$1.84 JMD 291

14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 320

$1.91 JMD 303

5.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 492

$3.20 JMD 507

-2.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 229

$2.77 JMD 438

-48.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 JMD 1,424

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 JMD 1,817

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 459

$2.16 JMD 342

34.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 481

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 JMD 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 170

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 511

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 195

$1.37 JMD 217

-10.22%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

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

$163 JMD 25.8K

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

$22.03 JMD 3,487

$42.21 JMD 6,681

-47.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 8,016

$38.52 JMD 6,097

31.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 JMD 2,061

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

$229 JMD 36.3K

$316 JMD 50.0K

-27.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.13 JMD 4,135

$15.94 JMD 2,523

63.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.25 JMD 3,996

$21.48 JMD 3,400

17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

$41.08 JMD 6,502

72.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

$52.9 JMD 8,377

43.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 JMD 27.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 JMD 89.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 JMD 68.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Duncans: April 14, 2026

Last update for May Pen: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Duncans versus $172 in May Pen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Duncans versus $0 in May Pen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $278 – making May Pen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Duncans is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,341 per month in Duncans and $968 in May Pen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Duncans, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Duncans and $316 in May Pen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $894 in Duncans and $646 in May Pen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward May Pen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with May Pen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Duncans makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.