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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $730 per month in May Pen vs $1,050 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $817 per month in May Pen vs $1,731 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $903 per month in May Pen vs $2,411 in Duncans, rent included.

May Pen is about 30% cheaper than Duncans, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both May Pen and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – May Pen 47% lower, Duncans 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.03 JMD 2,518

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,385

Cappuccino

$5.21 JMD 819

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

$1.25 JMD 196

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 486

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 JMD 342

$4.14 JMD 650

-47.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 JMD 609

$3.68 JMD 578

5.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 492

$1.65 JMD 260

89.70%

Eggs

$3.51 JMD 551

$3.47 JMD 544

1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 JMD 1,782

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 JMD 1,220

$6.16 JMD 967

26.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.90 JMD 770

$10.14 JMD 1,592

-51.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 254

$6.19 JMD 972

-73.83%

Banana (1kg)

$4.93 JMD 774

$3.96 JMD 622

24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.42 JMD 1,009

$7.42 JMD 1,165

-13.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 JMD 293

$3.10 JMD 488

-39.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 307

$3.29 JMD 517

-40.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 301

$2.69 JMD 422

-28.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 JMD 502

$3.05 JMD 479

4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 457

$1.44 JMD 227

102.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.50 JMD 1,492

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,753

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 342

$2.85 JMD 447

-23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 643

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 JMD 483

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 223

$1.41 JMD 221

0.71%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

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

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

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

$177 JMD 27.8K

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

$42.36 JMD 6,654

$29.71 JMD 4,666

42.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 JMD 8,594

$52.2 JMD 8,196

4.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,075

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

$363 JMD 57.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.77 JMD 2,477

$23.73 JMD 3,727

-33.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.45 JMD 3,527

$31.30 JMD 4,916

-28.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.39 JMD 6,502

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-46.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 JMD 8,432

$104 JMD 16.3K

-48.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 JMD 45.2K

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Duncans is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,096 per month in May Pen and $1,576 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $730 in May Pen and $1,050 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Duncans, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $730 in May Pen and $1,050 in Duncans, 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.