Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Saint Andrew Parish Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Saint Andrew Parish

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in May Pen versus $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $987 in May Pen versus $1,858 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,328 in May Pen versus $2,604 in Saint Andrew Parish.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 JMD 1,171

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.06 JMD 5,391

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 JMD 964

Cappuccino

$1.90 JMD 301

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

$0.91 JMD 143

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 113

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 JMD 392

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 483

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 353

$4.22 JMD 668

-47.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 JMD 608

$1.02 JMD 161

276.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 491

$1.27 JMD 200

144.09%

Eggs

$3.28 JMD 519

$3.48 JMD 550

-5.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 JMD 1,723

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 JMD 1,199

$6.43 JMD 1,018

17.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 JMD 788

$7.52 JMD 1,190

-33.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 245

$6.11 JMD 967

-74.63%

Banana (1kg)

$5.13 JMD 811

$3.12 JMD 493

64.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.27 JMD 993

$4.24 JMD 672

47.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 JMD 294

$2.99 JMD 474

-37.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 291

$2.03 JMD 321

-9.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 303

$1.92 JMD 304

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 JMD 507

$3.10 JMD 491

3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 438

$1.43 JMD 226

93.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.56 JMD 1,355

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 JMD 1,830

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 342

$2.78 JMD 441

-22.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 488

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 JMD 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 500

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 JMD 965

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 217

$1.25 JMD 197

9.60%

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

$43.4K 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)

$162 JMD 25.7K

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

$42.21 JMD 6,681

$22.01 JMD 3,483

91.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 JMD 6,097

$51.7 JMD 8,189

-25.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 JMD 2,092

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

$316 JMD 50.0K

$229 JMD 36.2K

38.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,526 JMD 399.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.94 JMD 2,523

$26.37 JMD 4,174

-39.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.48 JMD 3,400

$25.69 JMD 4,067

-16.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.08 JMD 6,502

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

-41.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 JMD 8,377

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

-29.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 JMD 27.2K

$752 JMD 119.0K

-77.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 34.0K

$310 JMD 49.1K

-30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 JMD 89.8K

$1,904 JMD 301.3K

-70.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 JMD 68.2K

$907 JMD 143.6K

-52.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$743 JMD 117.5K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $172 in May Pen and $752 in Saint Andrew Parish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $0 in May Pen vs $34 in Saint Andrew Parish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $323 per month, with May Pen cheaper across the board.

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 Saint Andrew Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 $968 in May Pen and $1,667 in Saint Andrew Parish 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: $172 in May Pen versus $752 in Saint Andrew Parish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in May Pen versus $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $646 in May Pen versus $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 72% less than in Saint Andrew Parish. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.