Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Old Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Old Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $630 in May Pen versus $727 in Old Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $973 in May Pen versus $1,160 in Old Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,316 in May Pen versus $1,592 in Old Harbour.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 13% less than in Old Harbour, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: May Pen 53% lower, Old Harbour 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 JMD 958

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 JMD 4,869

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 JMD 768

Cappuccino

$4.42 JMD 695

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

$0.92 JMD 145

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 JMD 94.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 383

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 480

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 JMD 353

$4.35 JMD 684

-48.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$3.61 JMD 568

1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 JMD 500

$1.63 JMD 256

95.09%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 544

$3.41 JMD 537

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 529

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 JMD 1,200

$6.51 JMD 1,024

17.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 JMD 800

$7.78 JMD 1,224

-34.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 JMD 241

$5.91 JMD 929

-74.11%

Banana (1kg)

$5.11 JMD 804

$3.12 JMD 491

63.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 JMD 956

$4.27 JMD 672

42.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 300

$2.13 JMD 334

-10.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 303

$2.00 JMD 315

-3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 291

$2.03 JMD 319

-8.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 JMD 502

$2.98 JMD 469

7.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 455

$1.43 JMD 224

102.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.69 JMD 1,366

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 JMD 1,828

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 JMD 349

$2.85 JMD 448

-22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 130

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 493

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 973

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JMD 222

$1.04 JMD 164

35.58%

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

$43.5K JMD 6.8M

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

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

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

$49.93 JMD 7,852

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

$41.74 JMD 6,563

$22.31 JMD 3,508

87.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.36 JMD 6,189

$44.15 JMD 6,942

-10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 JMD 2,087

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

$313 JMD 49.2K

$227 JMD 35.7K

37.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,436 JMD 383.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.86 JMD 2,494

$26.12 JMD 4,108

-39.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 JMD 3,400

$25.85 JMD 4,064

-16.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.73 JMD 6,405

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

-43.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,409

$74.8 JMD 11.8K

-28.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 JMD 34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 JMD 69.7K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: June 2, 2026

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 Old Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Old Harbour. 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 $945 in May Pen and $1,091 in Old Harbour 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.

All in, you'll spend $630 per month in May Pen versus $727 in Old Harbour – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Old Harbour. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though May Pen gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 15% less than in Old Harbour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.