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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in May Pen versus $1,482 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in May Pen versus $2,489 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,366 in May Pen versus $3,496 in Kingston.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 56% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 52% below, Kingston is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,176

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,720

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,352

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 692

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

$1.33 JMD 209

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 489

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 JMD 337

$4.33 JMD 682

-50.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 JMD 605

$3.49 JMD 551

10.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 486

$1.64 JMD 258

87.80%

Eggs

$3.32 JMD 523

$3.61 JMD 568

-8.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,765

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 JMD 1,170

$6.45 JMD 1,016

15.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.10 JMD 804

$7.82 JMD 1,232

-34.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 254

$5.99 JMD 945

-73.12%

Banana (1kg)

$4.98 JMD 784

$2.98 JMD 470

67.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 JMD 1,013

$4.21 JMD 663

52.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.90 JMD 457

-33.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 305

$2.02 JMD 319

-4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 288

$2.00 JMD 315

-8.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 JMD 485

$3.01 JMD 475

2.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 447

$1.51 JMD 238

88.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,357

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,808

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 355

$2.78 JMD 438

-19.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 JMD 139

$0.81 JMD 128

8.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,751

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 999

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 220

$1.24 JMD 196

12.10%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

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)

$42.49 JMD 6,696

$22.24 JMD 3,504

91.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.56 JMD 6,077

$52.0 JMD 8,191

-25.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,508

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,109

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

$313 JMD 49.4K

$222 JMD 35.0K

40.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.48 JMD 2,440

$25.81 JMD 4,068

-40.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.50 JMD 3,388

$25.49 JMD 4,017

-15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.10 JMD 6,319

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

-43.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,437

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

-28.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 JMD 28.1K

$880 JMD 138.6K

-79.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.8K

$451 JMD 71.2K

-51.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 JMD 88.5K

$2,007 JMD 316.2K

-72.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 JMD 68.0K

$1,188 JMD 187.2K

-63.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 451.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.4K

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 11, 2026

Last update for Kingston: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in May Pen and $880 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Kingston. 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 $970 in May Pen and $2,223 in Kingston 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $178 in May Pen versus $880 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in May Pen versus $1,482 in Kingston – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in May Pen versus $1,482 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Kingston. 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.

Expats usually find May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.