Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Saint Ann's Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Saint Ann's Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $635 in May Pen versus $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $987 in May Pen versus $2,019 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in May Pen versus $2,690 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 53% less than in Saint Ann's Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 52% below, Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.85 JMD 7,840

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,387

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 694

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

$1.35 JMD 213

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 JMD 385

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 JMD 351

$4.30 JMD 676

-48.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 JMD 605

$2.75 JMD 433

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 495

$1.55 JMD 244

103.23%

Eggs

$3.42 JMD 538

$3.61 JMD 568

-5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 JMD 1,743

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 JMD 1,173

$6.30 JMD 990

18.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 JMD 768

$7.51 JMD 1,181

-35.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 JMD 241

$6.15 JMD 967

-75.12%

Banana (1kg)

$5.16 JMD 811

$3.09 JMD 485

66.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 JMD 1,001

$4.20 JMD 660

51.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 288

$3.00 JMD 471

-39.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 289

$2.05 JMD 322

-10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 301

$2.00 JMD 314

-4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 482

$3.11 JMD 489

-1.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 454

$1.11 JMD 174

160.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 JMD 1,413

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 JMD 1,801

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 336

$2.88 JMD 454

-26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 488

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 493

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 979

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JMD 215

$1.28 JMD 202

7.03%

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

$23.8K JMD 3.7M

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

$17.4K JMD 2.7M

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

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

$41.82 JMD 6,577

$21.88 JMD 3,441

91.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.20 JMD 6,166

$51.1 JMD 8,033

-23.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

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

$316 JMD 49.7K

$223 JMD 35.1K

41.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 395.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.93 JMD 2,505

$26.02 JMD 4,092

-38.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 JMD 3,400

$25.86 JMD 4,068

-16.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.16 JMD 6,316

$68.0 JMD 10.7K

-40.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.5 JMD 8,409

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

-30.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.9K

$511 JMD 80.3K

-65.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.9K

$476 JMD 74.9K

-54.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.6K

$991 JMD 155.9K

-43.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 JMD 69.5K

$815 JMD 128.2K

-45.76%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $511 in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 Ann's Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 $2,022 in Saint Ann's Bay 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 $511 in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Saint Ann's Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $635 in May Pen versus $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 112% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.