Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Negril

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $722 a month against $927 in Negril, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. The total is higher in Negril despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Negril
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Negril Living Index

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May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$722

/mo nomad

Negril

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$927

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $722 in May Pen versus $927 in Negril.

May Pen $722
Negril $927

Estimated couple costs with rent: $818 in May Pen versus $1,478 in Negril.

May Pen $818
Negril $1,478

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $914 in May Pen versus $2,029 in Negril.

May Pen $914
Negril $2,029

Living in May Pen costs roughly 22% less than in Negril, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: May Pen 47% lower, Negril 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 JMD 1,526

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.26 JMD 7,767

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 JMD 1,269

Cappuccino

$2.05 JMD 323

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

$1.15 JMD 181

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 JMD 341

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 JMD 503

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 352

$4.02 JMD 634

-44.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 JMD 583

$3.37 JMD 532

9.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 JMD 492

$1.58 JMD 249

97.47%

Eggs

$3.37 JMD 531

$3.51 JMD 554

-3.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 JMD 1,773

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,209

$6.33 JMD 998

21.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.10 JMD 804

$10.19 JMD 1,606

-49.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 253

$6.06 JMD 956

-73.60%

Banana (1kg)

$4.93 JMD 777

$3.96 JMD 624

24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.33 JMD 998

$7.47 JMD 1,177

-15.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 291

$2.99 JMD 471

-38.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$3.15 JMD 497

-38.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.58 JMD 406

-25.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 JMD 485

$2.99 JMD 472

3.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 458

$1.44 JMD 227

101.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 JMD 1,471

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 JMD 1,776

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 JMD 357

$2.92 JMD 460

-22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 JMD 622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 JMD 193

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 509

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 JMD 1,002

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JMD 223

$1.47 JMD 232

-4.08%

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

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

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

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

$166 JMD 26.2K

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

$42.49 JMD 6,701

$29.95 JMD 4,722

41.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 JMD 8,463

$51.9 JMD 8,179

3.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 JMD 2,090

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

$362 JMD 57.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,121 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.88 JMD 2,503

$23.75 JMD 3,745

-33.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.63 JMD 3,411

$30.90 JMD 4,873

-30.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.60 JMD 6,560

$76.9 JMD 12.1K

-45.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 JMD 8,310

$104 JMD 16.4K

-49.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 JMD 158.5K

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 Negril: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

May Pen

–

Negril

$378 40.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

May Pen

–

Negril

$248 26.8%

Eating Out

May Pen

–

Negril

$151 16.3%

Clothing & Footwear

May Pen

–

Negril

$106 11.4%

Sport & Entertainment

May Pen

–

Negril

$27 * 2.9%

Getting Around

May Pen

–

Negril

$17 * 1.9%

Accommodation & Living

May Pen

–

Negril

- * 0%

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

Good to know

🇯🇲 May Pen

🇯🇲 Negril

🕒 Local time

07:13 7:13 AM

Same time as May Pen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,755

13,779

💱 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

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May Pen Negril 120 km

From you

May Pen
Negril

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 Negril: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Negril. 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 $1,083 in May Pen and $1,390 in Negril 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Negril. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $722 per month in May Pen versus $927 in Negril – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $722 in May Pen versus $927 in Negril, a $800 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Negril. 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.