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: $650 in May Pen versus $1,115 in Portmore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in May Pen versus $1,852 in Portmore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,325 in May Pen versus $2,590 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 51% lower, Portmore 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 JMD 743

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,734

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 JMD 1,349

Cappuccino

$4.45 JMD 699

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

$0.67 JMD 106

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 JMD 85.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 JMD 293

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 JMD 349

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 350

$3.11 JMD 488

-28.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$3.54 JMD 555

3.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 479

$1.02 JMD 160

199.02%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 540

$3.45 JMD 542

-0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 JMD 1,763

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.47 JMD 1,173

$6.19 JMD 972

20.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 JMD 768

$7.56 JMD 1,187

-35.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 251

$5.95 JMD 935

-73.11%

Banana (1kg)

$5.05 JMD 792

$3.00 JMD 471

68.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.31 JMD 990

$2.98 JMD 468

111.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 JMD 294

$2.92 JMD 458

-35.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 289

$2.01 JMD 316

-8.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 287

$1.95 JMD 307

-6.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 JMD 487

$1.54 JMD 242

101.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 436

$1.23 JMD 193

125.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.67 JMD 1,362

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 JMD 1,754

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 JMD 348

$2.75 JMD 432

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 338

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 139

$1.61 JMD 253

-44.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.5 JMD 9,650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 JMD 141

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 494

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 JMD 998

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 JMD 219

$1.04 JMD 163

34.62%

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

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

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

$160 JMD 25.1K

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

$42.87 JMD 6,732

$21.83 JMD 3,428

96.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.25 JMD 6,163

$51.2 JMD 8,038

-23.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 JMD 2,073

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

$314 JMD 49.3K

$223 JMD 35.0K

40.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,486 JMD 390.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.61 JMD 2,451

$26.14 JMD 4,104

-40.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.20 JMD 3,486

$25.75 JMD 4,044

-13.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.34 JMD 6,335

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

-42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 JMD 8,210

$75.0 JMD 11.8K

-30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.8K

$316 JMD 49.5K

-43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.8K

$222 JMD 34.8K

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 JMD 86.8K

$658 JMD 103.3K

-15.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 JMD 70.2K

$595 JMD 93.5K

-24.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,674 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,778 JMD 907.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,274 JMD 200.1K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Portmore: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $316 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 71% 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 $975 in May Pen and $1,672 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 $316 in Portmore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in May Pen versus $1,115 in Portmore – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Portmore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $650 in May Pen versus $1,115 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 71% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.