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: $634 in May Pen versus $1,362 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $993 in May Pen versus $2,027 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,351 in May Pen versus $2,692 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 53% below, Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 JMD 1,161

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JMD 7,909

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 JMD 1,401

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 690

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

$1.36 JMD 214

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 111

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 386

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 488

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 JMD 348

$4.34 JMD 682

-49.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 JMD 584

$2.75 JMD 433

34.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 496

$1.55 JMD 245

103.23%

Eggs

$3.33 JMD 524

$3.48 JMD 548

-4.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,762

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 JMD 1,166

$6.22 JMD 978

19.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 JMD 792

$7.47 JMD 1,175

-32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 249

$6.15 JMD 968

-74.31%

Banana (1kg)

$4.99 JMD 785

$3.04 JMD 479

64.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.20 JMD 975

$4.24 JMD 667

46.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 292

$3.03 JMD 477

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 301

$2.09 JMD 328

-8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$1.98 JMD 312

-3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 JMD 488

$2.99 JMD 470

3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 455

$1.15 JMD 182

151.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 JMD 1,388

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,807

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 340

$2.75 JMD 432

-21.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 JMD 153

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 JMD 491

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 JMD 1,004

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.28 JMD 201

6.25%

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

$23.9K JMD 3.8M

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)

$165 JMD 25.9K

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

$43.00 JMD 6,763

$22.42 JMD 3,527

91.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.76 JMD 6,254

$50.1 JMD 7,878

-20.61%

Cinema Ticket

$13.37 JMD 2,103

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

$318 JMD 50.0K

$228 JMD 35.8K

39.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,501 JMD 393.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.93 JMD 2,505

$25.88 JMD 4,071

-38.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.77 JMD 3,425

$25.88 JMD 4,071

-15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.01 JMD 6,450

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

-41.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 JMD 8,440

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

-29.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.8K

$499 JMD 78.5K

-64.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.7K

$474 JMD 74.6K

-53.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 JMD 90.2K

$991 JMD 155.8K

-42.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 JMD 68.2K

$829 JMD 130.5K

-47.76%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $499 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 115% 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 $2,043 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 $499 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 $634 per month in May Pen versus $1,362 in Saint Ann's Bay – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $634 in May Pen versus $1,362 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 115% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.