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 $646 per month in May Pen vs $900 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,005 per month in May Pen vs $1,459 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,364 per month in May Pen vs $2,018 in Duncans, rent included.

May Pen is about 28% cheaper than Duncans, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both May Pen and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – May Pen 52% lower, Duncans 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 JMD 1,168

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,821

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,383

Cappuccino

$4.30 JMD 678

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

$1.30 JMD 205

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 111

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 403

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 486

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 JMD 335

$4.19 JMD 659

-49.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 577

$3.59 JMD 566

1.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 JMD 499

$1.62 JMD 256

95.68%

Eggs

$3.29 JMD 517

$3.43 JMD 540

-4.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 JMD 1,772

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 JMD 1,195

$6.32 JMD 996

20.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 JMD 769

$7.56 JMD 1,190

-35.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$5.88 JMD 926

-73.64%

Banana (1kg)

$5.15 JMD 811

$3.09 JMD 486

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.24 JMD 983

$4.18 JMD 659

49.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 303

$3.06 JMD 481

-37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 289

$2.11 JMD 332

-12.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$2.03 JMD 319

-5.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 JMD 501

$3.13 JMD 492

1.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 440

$1.51 JMD 237

84.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.53 JMD 1,344

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,806

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 JMD 350

$2.75 JMD 433

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 490

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 JMD 132

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 169

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,013

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 215

$1.23 JMD 193

10.57%

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

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

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)

$42.30 JMD 6,661

$21.75 JMD 3,425

94.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.33 JMD 6,194

$51.3 JMD 8,082

-23.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,092

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

$316 JMD 49.7K

$222 JMD 35.0K

41.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,499 JMD 393.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.55 JMD 2,448

$25.79 JMD 4,062

-39.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.02 JMD 3,467

$25.46 JMD 4,010

-13.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.24 JMD 6,336

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

-42.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.4 JMD 8,416

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

-30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 JMD 27.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 JMD 34.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 JMD 89.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 JMD 70.4K

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 May Pen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Duncans: July 19, 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 39%, 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 $970 per month in May Pen and $1,349 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Duncans, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in May Pen and $222 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $646 in May Pen and $900 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.