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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $635 in May Pen versus $1,102 in Portmore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $987 in May Pen versus $1,849 in Portmore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in May Pen versus $2,595 in Portmore.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 42% less than in Portmore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: May Pen 52% lower, Portmore 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 JMD 755

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,810

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,365

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 693

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

$0.63 JMD 98.7

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 JMD 289

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 354

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 351

$3.10 JMD 487

-28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 JMD 605

$3.55 JMD 558

8.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 495

$1.02 JMD 160

208.82%

Eggs

$3.42 JMD 538

$3.58 JMD 563

-4.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 JMD 1,707

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 JMD 1,172

$6.19 JMD 973

20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 JMD 768

$7.48 JMD 1,175

-34.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 JMD 241

$5.91 JMD 929

-74.11%

Banana (1kg)

$5.16 JMD 811

$2.99 JMD 470

72.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 JMD 1,000

$2.88 JMD 453

120.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 288

$3.04 JMD 478

-39.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 289

$2.10 JMD 330

-12.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 301

$1.92 JMD 302

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 482

$1.52 JMD 239

101.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 454

$1.27 JMD 200

127.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 JMD 1,361

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 335

$2.80 JMD 440

-23.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 335

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 131

$1.59 JMD 250

-47.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 JMD 9,968

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 JMD 146

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,011

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 215

$1.09 JMD 171

25.69%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

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

$156 JMD 24.6K

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

$41.82 JMD 6,573

$21.70 JMD 3,411

92.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.20 JMD 6,162

$51.4 JMD 8,082

-23.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 JMD 2,081

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

$316 JMD 49.7K

$227 JMD 35.6K

39.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.93 JMD 2,504

$25.67 JMD 4,035

-37.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 JMD 3,397

$26.00 JMD 4,087

-16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.16 JMD 6,312

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

-43.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,403

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

-30.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.9K

$310 JMD 48.8K

-42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.8K

$223 JMD 35.0K

-3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.6K

$661 JMD 103.9K

-14.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 JMD 69.5K

$583 JMD 91.7K

-24.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

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 28, 2026

Last update for Portmore: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $310 in Portmore. 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 Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Portmore. 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 $1,653 in Portmore 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 $310 in Portmore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $635 per month in May Pen versus $1,102 in Portmore – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Portmore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $635 in May Pen versus $1,102 in Portmore, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Portmore. 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 74% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.