Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Duncans

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $722 a month against $1,011 in Duncans, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. The total is higher in Duncans despite lower rent and utilities.

48

Cost of Living Index in Duncans
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Duncans Living Index

Jump to prices

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$722

/mo nomad

Duncans

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,011

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $722 per month in May Pen vs $1,011 in Duncans, rent included.

May Pen $722
Duncans $1,011

A couple spends around $818 per month in May Pen vs $1,673 in Duncans, rent included.

May Pen $818
Duncans $1,673

A family of three spends $914 per month in May Pen vs $2,336 in Duncans, rent included.

May Pen $914
Duncans $2,336

May Pen is about 29% cheaper than Duncans, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both May Pen and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – May Pen 47% lower, Duncans 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.60 JMD 2,144

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 JMD 1,284

Cappuccino

$5.44 JMD 858

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

$1.14 JMD 180

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 111

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 JMD 355

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 507

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 352

$4.15 JMD 655

-46.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 JMD 583

$3.73 JMD 588

-1.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 JMD 492

$1.58 JMD 249

97.47%

Eggs

$3.37 JMD 531

$3.58 JMD 565

-5.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 JMD 1,813

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,209

$6.21 JMD 979

23.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.10 JMD 804

$10.34 JMD 1,631

-50.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 253

$6.01 JMD 947

-73.38%

Banana (1kg)

$4.93 JMD 777

$3.97 JMD 625

24.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.33 JMD 998

$7.54 JMD 1,190

-16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 291

$3.02 JMD 476

-38.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$3.32 JMD 523

-41.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.61 JMD 411

-26.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 JMD 485

$3.01 JMD 475

2.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 458

$1.43 JMD 226

102.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 JMD 1,494

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 JMD 1,775

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 JMD 357

$2.78 JMD 439

-18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 JMD 625

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 JMD 200

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 505

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 JMD 983

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JMD 223

$1.45 JMD 228

-2.76%

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

$44.1K JMD 7.0M

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

$32.2K JMD 5.1M

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

$171 JMD 27.0K

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

$42.49 JMD 6,701

$29.64 JMD 4,674

43.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 JMD 8,463

$51.8 JMD 8,166

3.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 JMD 2,115

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

$355 JMD 56.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,307 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.88 JMD 2,503

$23.91 JMD 3,771

-33.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.63 JMD 3,411

$31.38 JMD 4,949

-31.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.60 JMD 6,560

$78.7 JMD 12.4K

-47.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 JMD 8,310

$103 JMD 16.3K

-48.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 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 26, 2026

Last update for Duncans: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

May Pen

–

Duncans

$384 38%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

May Pen

–

Duncans

$253 25%

Eating Out

May Pen

–

Duncans

$224 22.1%

Clothing & Footwear

May Pen

–

Duncans

$107 10.6%

Sport & Entertainment

May Pen

–

Duncans

$27 * 2.7%

Getting Around

May Pen

–

Duncans

$17 * 1.7%

Accommodation & Living

May Pen

–

Duncans

- * 0%

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

Good to know

🇯🇲 May Pen

🇯🇲 Duncans

🕒 Local time

08:02 8:02 AM

Same time as May Pen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,755

5,153

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

May Pen Duncans 62 km

From you

May Pen
Duncans

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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Duncans is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,083 per month in May Pen and $1,517 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $722 in May Pen and $1,011 in Duncans. That’s a gap of about 40%.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Duncans, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in May Pen, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Duncans at $1,011. In May Pen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Duncans it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Duncans has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $722 in May Pen to $1,011 in Duncans. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.