Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Montego Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Montego Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in May Pen versus $1,314 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $993 in May Pen versus $1,787 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,351 in May Pen versus $2,261 in Montego Bay.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 52% less than in Montego Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: May Pen 53% lower, Montego Bay 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JMD 7,905

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 JMD 1,161

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

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

$1.33 JMD 209

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.53 JMD 397

-12.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 JMD 584

$2.76 JMD 434

34.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 496

$1.63 JMD 257

93.25%

Eggs

$3.33 JMD 524

$3.56 JMD 559

-6.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 JMD 1,721

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 JMD 1,166

$6.45 JMD 1,014

14.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 JMD 792

$7.56 JMD 1,189

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 249

$3.42 JMD 537

-53.80%

Banana (1kg)

$4.99 JMD 785

$3.14 JMD 494

58.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.20 JMD 975

$2.71 JMD 427

128.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 292

$1.75 JMD 275

5.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 301

$2.03 JMD 319

-5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$1.13 JMD 178

69.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 JMD 488

$1.91 JMD 301

62.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 455

$0.95 JMD 149

204.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 JMD 1,420

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 JMD 1,773

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 340

$2.11 JMD 332

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 497

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 131

$0.96 JMD 151

-13.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 505

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 JMD 1,006

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.29 JMD 203

5.43%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

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

$43.00 JMD 6,762

$21.15 JMD 3,327

103.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.76 JMD 6,253

$47.83 JMD 7,522

-16.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.84 JMD 5,952

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 JMD 1,188

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

$318 JMD 50.0K

$63.0 JMD 9,903

404.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.93 JMD 2,505

$25.80 JMD 4,057

-38.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.77 JMD 3,424

$19.75 JMD 3,106

10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.01 JMD 6,449

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

-38.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 JMD 8,439

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

-28.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.8K

$266 JMD 41.8K

-33.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.7K

$448 JMD 70.4K

-50.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 JMD 90.2K

$648 JMD 102.0K

-11.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 JMD 68.1K

$442 JMD 69.6K

-2.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 JMD 86.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for May Pen: June 6, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $266 in Montego Bay. 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 Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Montego Bay. 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 $952 in May Pen and $1,971 in Montego Bay 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: $177 in May Pen versus $266 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $634 per month in May Pen versus $1,314 in Montego Bay – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Montego Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $634 in May Pen versus $1,314 in Montego Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Montego Bay. 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 107% less than in Montego Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.