Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncans and May Pen

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $722 a month against $1,011 in Duncans, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. The total is higher in Duncans despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Duncans
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Duncans Living Index

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Duncans

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,011

/mo nomad

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$722

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,011 per month in Duncans vs $722 in May Pen, rent included.

Duncans $1,011
May Pen $722

A couple spends around $1,673 per month in Duncans vs $818 in May Pen, rent included.

Duncans $1,673
May Pen $818

A family of three spends $2,336 per month in Duncans vs $914 in May Pen, rent included.

Duncans $2,336
May Pen $914

Duncans costs about 40% more than May Pen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Duncans and May Pen are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 26% lower, May Pen 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.60 JMD 2,144

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 JMD 1,284

Cappuccino

$5.44 JMD 858

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

$1.14 JMD 180

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 111

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 JMD 355

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 507

Milk (1 liter)

$4.15 JMD 655

$2.23 JMD 352

86.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 JMD 588

$3.69 JMD 583

1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 249

$3.12 JMD 492

-49.36%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 565

$3.37 JMD 531

6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 JMD 1,813

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 JMD 979

$7.67 JMD 1,209

-19.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 JMD 1,631

$5.10 JMD 804

102.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 JMD 947

$1.60 JMD 253

275.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.97 JMD 625

$4.93 JMD 777

-19.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.54 JMD 1,190

$6.33 JMD 998

19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 JMD 476

$1.85 JMD 291

63.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 JMD 523

$1.93 JMD 304

72.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 JMD 411

$1.93 JMD 304

35.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 475

$3.08 JMD 485

-2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 JMD 226

$2.90 JMD 458

-50.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 JMD 1,494

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 JMD 1,775

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 439

$2.26 JMD 357

23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 JMD 625

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 JMD 200

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 505

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 JMD 983

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 JMD 228

$1.41 JMD 223

2.84%

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

$44.1K JMD 7.0M

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

$32.2K JMD 5.1M

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

$171 JMD 27.0K

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

$29.64 JMD 4,674

$42.49 JMD 6,701

-30.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,166

$53.7 JMD 8,463

-3.50%

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 JMD 2,115

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

$355 JMD 56.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,307 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.91 JMD 3,771

$15.88 JMD 2,503

50.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.38 JMD 4,949

$21.63 JMD 3,411

45.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 JMD 12.4K

$41.60 JMD 6,560

89.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.3K

$52.7 JMD 8,310

95.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 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 Duncans: October 26, 2026

Last update for May Pen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Duncans

$384 38%

May Pen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Duncans

$253 25%

May Pen

–

Eating Out

Duncans

$224 22.1%

May Pen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Duncans

$107 10.6%

May Pen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Duncans

$27 * 2.7%

May Pen

–

Getting Around

Duncans

$17 * 1.7%

May Pen

–

Accommodation & Living

Duncans

- * 0%

May Pen

–

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

Good to know

🇯🇲 Duncans

🇯🇲 May Pen

🕒 Local time

05:06 5:06 AM

Same time as Duncans

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,153

44,755

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Duncans May Pen 62 km

From you

Duncans
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

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

Yes – Duncans is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,517 per month in Duncans and $1,083 in May Pen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,011 in Duncans and $722 in May Pen. That’s a gap of about 40%.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Duncans, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in May Pen, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Duncans at $1,011. In May Pen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Duncans it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Duncans has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $722 in May Pen to $1,011 in Duncans. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.