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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,482 in Kingston versus $646 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Kingston versus $1,006 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Kingston versus $1,366 in May Pen.

Living in Kingston is roughly 129% more expensive than in May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 11% above, May Pen is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,176

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,720

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,352

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 692

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

$1.33 JMD 209

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 489

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 682

$2.14 JMD 337

102.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 551

$3.84 JMD 605

-9.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 JMD 258

$3.08 JMD 486

-46.75%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 568

$3.32 JMD 523

8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,765

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,016

$7.42 JMD 1,170

-13.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,232

$5.10 JMD 804

53.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 945

$1.61 JMD 254

272.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 470

$4.98 JMD 784

-40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 663

$6.43 JMD 1,013

-34.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 457

$1.93 JMD 304

50.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

$1.93 JMD 305

4.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 315

$1.83 JMD 288

9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 475

$3.08 JMD 485

-2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 238

$2.84 JMD 447

-46.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,357

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,808

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$2.25 JMD 355

23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

$0.88 JMD 139

-7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,751

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 999

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 196

$1.39 JMD 220

-10.79%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

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

$22.24 JMD 3,504

$42.49 JMD 6,696

-47.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,191

$38.56 JMD 6,077

34.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,508

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,109

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

$222 JMD 35.0K

$313 JMD 49.4K

-29.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.81 JMD 4,068

$15.48 JMD 2,440

66.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 JMD 4,017

$21.50 JMD 3,388

18.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

$40.10 JMD 6,319

76.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$53.5 JMD 8,437

39.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.6K

$178 JMD 28.1K

393.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.2K

$221 JMD 34.8K

104.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 JMD 316.2K

$562 JMD 88.5K

257.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 187.2K

$432 JMD 68.0K

175.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 451.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.4K

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 Kingston: July 11, 2026

Last update for May Pen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $178 in May Pen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

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

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Kingston. 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 $2,223 in Kingston and $970 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Kingston versus $178 in May Pen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,482 per month in Kingston versus $646 in May Pen – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in May Pen versus $1,482 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Kingston. 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.

Expats usually find May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.