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: $635 in May Pen versus $1,152 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $987 in May Pen versus $1,857 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in May Pen versus $2,562 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 45% 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 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 JMD 1,207

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.87 JMD 5,485

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.20 JMD 976

Cappuccino

$1.92 JMD 302

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

$0.91 JMD 143

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 490

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 351

$4.24 JMD 667

-47.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 JMD 605

$1.05 JMD 165

266.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 495

$1.22 JMD 191

158.20%

Eggs

$3.42 JMD 538

$3.60 JMD 566

-5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 JMD 1,725

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 JMD 1,173

$6.23 JMD 980

19.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 JMD 768

$7.60 JMD 1,196

-35.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 JMD 241

$6.11 JMD 961

-74.96%

Banana (1kg)

$5.16 JMD 811

$3.12 JMD 490

65.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 JMD 1,001

$4.13 JMD 649

54.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 288

$3.05 JMD 480

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 289

$2.09 JMD 329

-11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 301

$1.93 JMD 303

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 482

$3.04 JMD 478

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 454

$1.50 JMD 235

92.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 JMD 1,412

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 JMD 1,812

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 336

$2.80 JMD 440

-23.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 506

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 494

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 988

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 215

$1.27 JMD 200

7.87%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

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)

$162 JMD 25.5K

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

$41.82 JMD 6,577

$22.24 JMD 3,498

88.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.20 JMD 6,166

$52.0 JMD 8,180

-24.62%

Cinema Ticket

$13.18 JMD 2,073

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

$316 JMD 49.7K

$223 JMD 35.1K

41.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 JMD 384.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.93 JMD 2,505

$26.01 JMD 4,091

-38.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 JMD 3,400

$25.72 JMD 4,046

-15.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.16 JMD 6,316

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

-43.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,409

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

-31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.9K

$755 JMD 118.8K

-76.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.9K

$311 JMD 48.9K

-30.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.6K

$1,895 JMD 298.1K

-70.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 JMD 69.5K

$889 JMD 139.8K

-50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,736 JMD 430.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 JMD 113.3K

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 Saint Andrew Parish: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $755 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 Saint Andrew Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 81% 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 $952 in May Pen and $1,728 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: $177 in May Pen versus $755 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 $1,152 in Saint Andrew Parish – a 81% 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 $635 in May Pen versus $1,152 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 81% less than in Saint Andrew Parish. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.