Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $726 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$726

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in May Pen and in Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $726 in May Pen versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

May Pen $726
Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $822 in May Pen versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

May Pen $822
Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $918 in May Pen versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

May Pen $918
Austin, TX $5,534

Living in May Pen costs roughly 73% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 46% below, Austin, TX is 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

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

$3.65 $3.65

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 JMD 349

$1.12 $1.12

97.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 JMD 607

$3.62 $3.62

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 486

$3.50 $3.50

-12.00%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 549

$4.45 $4.45

-21.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 JMD 1,157

$13.94 $13.94

-47.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 JMD 790

$16.46 $16.46

-69.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 253

$4.73 $4.73

-66.17%

Banana (1kg)

$5.07 JMD 799

$1.50 $1.50

238.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.29 JMD 992

$4.64 $4.64

35.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 307

$4.52 $4.52

-56.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$2.55 $2.55

-23.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 292

$2.39 $2.39

-22.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.24 JMD 511

$1.84 $1.84

76.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JMD 455

$2.13 $2.13

35.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 JMD 342

$2.82 $2.82

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 JMD 221

$0.98 $0.98

42.86%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

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

$26.8K $26.8K

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

$252 $252

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

$43.19 JMD 6,810

$59.8 $59.8

-27.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 JMD 8,570

$69.7 $69.7

-21.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

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

$1,458 $1,458

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.50 JMD 2,444

$52.6 $52.6

-70.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.34 JMD 3,523

$45.76 $45.76

-51.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.59 JMD 6,401

$85.5 $85.5

-52.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 JMD 8,524

$106 $106

-48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 JMD 45.5K

$1,269 $1,269

-77.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

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

Last update for May Pen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

May Pen

–

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Groceries & Markets

May Pen

–

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

May Pen

–

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Eating Out

May Pen

–

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Clothing & Footwear

May Pen

–

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Sport & Entertainment

May Pen

–

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Getting Around

May Pen

–

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Good to know

🇯🇲 May Pen

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:55 5:55 PM

16:55 4:55 PM

1 h behind May Pen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,755

974,447

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JMD – Jamaican Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇲 Jamaican Dollar ($)

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

USD to JMD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

May Pen Austin, TX 2,480 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

May Pen
Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Austin, TX. 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 $1,089 in May Pen and $4,034 in Austin, TX 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 46% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $726 per month in May Pen versus $2,689 in Austin, TX – May Pen is about 73% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $726 in May Pen versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $800 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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.