Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Alexandria

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $722 a month against $998 in Alexandria, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Alexandria despite lower rent and utilities.

49

Cost of Living Index in Alexandria
Learn more

Alexandria Living Index

Jump to prices

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$722

/mo nomad

Alexandria

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$998

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in May Pen and in Alexandria

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $722 in May Pen versus $998 in Alexandria.

May Pen $722
Alexandria $998

Estimated couple costs with rent: $819 in May Pen versus $1,658 in Alexandria.

May Pen $819
Alexandria $1,658

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $916 in May Pen versus $2,317 in Alexandria.

May Pen $916
Alexandria $2,317

Living in May Pen costs roughly 28% less than in Alexandria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: May Pen 47% lower, Alexandria 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.42 JMD 2,120

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 JMD 1,298

Cappuccino

$5.37 JMD 849

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

$1.16 JMD 183

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 JMD 351

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 491

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 JMD 357

$4.20 JMD 664

-46.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 JMD 586

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 489

$1.57 JMD 248

96.82%

Eggs

$3.45 JMD 544

$3.63 JMD 573

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.31 JMD 1,787

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 JMD 1,210

$6.18 JMD 976

23.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 JMD 800

$10.19 JMD 1,611

-50.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$5.94 JMD 938

-73.91%

Banana (1kg)

$5.16 JMD 816

$3.86 JMD 610

33.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.21 JMD 981

$7.13 JMD 1,127

-12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 306

$3.04 JMD 480

-36.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 303

$3.17 JMD 501

-39.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 289

$2.66 JMD 420

-31.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 JMD 510

$3.07 JMD 484

5.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 437

$1.44 JMD 227

92.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 JMD 1,519

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 JMD 1,755

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 JMD 338

$2.77 JMD 437

-22.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 JMD 642

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 JMD 183

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 JMD 501

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 JMD 967

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 224

$1.39 JMD 220

2.16%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

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

$32.3K JMD 5.1M

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

$165 JMD 26.1K

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

$42.80 JMD 6,762

$29.45 JMD 4,653

45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 JMD 8,447

$53.1 JMD 8,382

0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.30 JMD 2,101

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

$364 JMD 57.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,298 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.99 JMD 2,526

$23.82 JMD 3,764

-32.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.55 JMD 3,405

$31.89 JMD 5,039

-32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.56 JMD 6,566

$75.9 JMD 12.0K

-45.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 JMD 8,421

$102 JMD 16.1K

-47.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 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 May Pen: October 13, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

May Pen

–

Alexandria

$380 38.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

May Pen

–

Alexandria

$247 24.8%

Eating Out

May Pen

–

Alexandria

$221 22.2%

Clothing & Footwear

May Pen

–

Alexandria

$105 10.5%

Sport & Entertainment

May Pen

–

Alexandria

$27 * 2.7%

Getting Around

May Pen

–

Alexandria

$17 * 1.7%

Accommodation & Living

May Pen

–

Alexandria

- * 0%

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

Good to know

🇯🇲 May Pen

🇯🇲 Alexandria

🕒 Local time

07:44 7:44 AM

Same time as May Pen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,755

1,927

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

May Pen Alexandria 38 km

From you

May Pen
Alexandria

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

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

May Pen and Alexandria differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($722 vs $998 including rent). May Pen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,083 in May Pen and $1,497 in Alexandria 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 36% higher in Alexandria. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $722 per month in May Pen versus $998 in Alexandria – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though May Pen gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 38% less than in Alexandria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.