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 $894 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $987 per month in May Pen vs $1,423 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,328 per month in May Pen vs $1,952 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 JMD 1,168

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,765

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 JMD 1,350

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 693

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

$1.36 JMD 215

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 118

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 391

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 492

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 353

$4.28 JMD 677

-47.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 JMD 608

$3.63 JMD 574

5.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 491

$1.54 JMD 244

101.30%

Eggs

$3.28 JMD 519

$3.46 JMD 548

-5.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 JMD 1,721

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 JMD 1,199

$6.33 JMD 1,003

19.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 JMD 788

$7.76 JMD 1,228

-35.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 245

$6.04 JMD 956

-74.34%

Banana (1kg)

$5.13 JMD 811

$3.09 JMD 488

66.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.27 JMD 993

$4.18 JMD 662

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 JMD 294

$3.07 JMD 486

-39.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 291

$2.10 JMD 333

-12.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 303

$2.02 JMD 320

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 JMD 507

$3.11 JMD 492

2.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 438

$1.44 JMD 229

92.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 JMD 1,424

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 JMD 1,817

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 342

$2.90 JMD 459

-25.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 481

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 JMD 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 170

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 511

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 217

$1.23 JMD 195

11.38%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

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

$163 JMD 25.8K

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

$42.21 JMD 6,681

$22.03 JMD 3,487

91.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 JMD 6,097

$50.7 JMD 8,016

-23.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 JMD 2,061

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

$316 JMD 50.0K

$229 JMD 36.3K

37.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.94 JMD 2,523

$26.13 JMD 4,135

-39.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.48 JMD 3,400

$25.25 JMD 3,996

-14.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.08 JMD 6,502

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

-42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 JMD 8,377

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

-30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 JMD 27.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 JMD 89.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 JMD 68.2K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Duncans: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $172 in May Pen versus $0 in Duncans. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $0 in May Pen versus $62 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $351 – making May Pen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 38%, 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 $968 per month in May Pen and $1,341 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $229 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 $894 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.