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: $730 in May Pen versus $1,479 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $817 in May Pen versus $2,447 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $903 in May Pen versus $3,415 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 51% less than in Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 47% below, Saint Andrew Parish is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.01 JMD 2,514

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 JMD 10.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 JMD 1,305

Cappuccino

$5.32 JMD 836

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

$1.20 JMD 189

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 JMD 338

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 JMD 509

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 JMD 342

$3.37 JMD 529

-35.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 JMD 609

$2.50 JMD 393

55.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 492

$1.62 JMD 255

93.21%

Eggs

$3.51 JMD 551

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 JMD 1,813

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 JMD 1,220

$6.47 JMD 1,016

20.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.90 JMD 770

$10.38 JMD 1,631

-52.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 254

$6.10 JMD 958

-73.44%

Banana (1kg)

$4.93 JMD 774

$3.92 JMD 616

25.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.42 JMD 1,009

$5.09 JMD 799

26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 JMD 293

$3.06 JMD 481

-38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 307

$3.26 JMD 512

-40.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 301

$2.72 JMD 428

-29.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 JMD 502

$1.86 JMD 292

72.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 457

$0.97 JMD 152

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.62 JMD 1,511

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 JMD 1,786

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 342

$2.54 JMD 399

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 JMD 490

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 JMD 95.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 144

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 501

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 JMD 1,005

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 223

$1.30 JMD 205

9.23%

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

$43.9K JMD 6.9M

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

$25.1K JMD 3.9M

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

$115 JMD 18.0K

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

$42.36 JMD 6,654

$28.88 JMD 4,536

46.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 JMD 8,594

$52.4 JMD 8,224

4.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 JMD 9,584

Cinema Ticket

$13.18 JMD 2,071

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

$254 JMD 39.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,164 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.77 JMD 2,477

$23.32 JMD 3,663

-32.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.45 JMD 3,527

$31.23 JMD 4,905

-28.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.39 JMD 6,502

$79.2 JMD 12.4K

-47.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 JMD 8,432

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

-29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 JMD 128.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 JMD 45.2K

$524 JMD 82.3K

-45.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 JMD 265.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 JMD 174.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 JMD 421.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 JMD 115.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for May Pen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: September 5, 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 Saint Andrew Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 102% 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 $1,096 in May Pen and $2,218 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Saint Andrew Parish. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $730 per month in May Pen versus $1,479 in Saint Andrew Parish – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $730 in May Pen versus $1,479 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 102% less than in Saint Andrew Parish. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.