Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico and Jamaica Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico and Jamaica

Name: Jamaica
Address: JM

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,120 per month in Mexico vs $717 in Jamaica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,791 per month in Mexico vs $1,179 in Jamaica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,461 per month in Mexico vs $1,641 in Jamaica, rent included.

Mexico costs about 56% more than Jamaica on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Mexico and Jamaica are more affordable than the global median – Mexico 17% lower, Jamaica 47% lower.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Mexico spans $702–$2,385, Jamaica spans $0–$1,461. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$184

$8.85 JMD 1,400

20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.45 MX$735

$63.6 JMD 10.1K

-33.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 MX$141

$8.17 JMD 1,293

-0.61%

Cappuccino

$3.39 MX$58.7

$3.79 JMD 600

-10.55%

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

$1.32 MX$22.93

$1.23 JMD 195

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.73

$0.79 JMD 124

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MX$40.57

$2.47 JMD 391

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MX$71.9

$3.16 JMD 500

31.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.58

$3.64 JMD 576

-59.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 MX$43.80

$2.94 JMD 465

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.66

$1.53 JMD 242

11.76%

Eggs

$2.34 MX$40.53

$3.48 JMD 551

-32.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 MX$147

$11.14 JMD 1,763

-24.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 MX$136

$7.71 JMD 1,221

2.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 MX$189

$7.69 JMD 1,217

42.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MX$49.23

$6.27 JMD 993

-54.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.65 JMD 578

-58.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.31

$4.24 JMD 670

-55.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.35

$2.21 JMD 350

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.90

$2.37 JMD 375

-17.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$2.03 JMD 321

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MX$22.81

$2.36 JMD 373

-44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.26

$1.19 JMD 188

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$9.33 JMD 1,476

-54.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 MX$196

$12.24 JMD 1,938

-7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$28.39

$2.58 JMD 408

-36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MX$52.3

$3.08 JMD 487

-1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.33

$0.96 JMD 151

-32.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.55 MX$460

$49.73 JMD 7,870

-46.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$45.55

$0.98 JMD 156

168.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 MX$33.52

$3.13 JMD 495

-38.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.46 MX$181

$8.54 JMD 1,352

22.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.74

$1.33 JMD 211

-1.50%

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

$20.2K MX$349.2K

$42.0K JMD 6.6M

-51.99%

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

$23.0K MX$397.9K

$32.6K JMD 5.2M

-29.57%

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

$63.2 MX$1,095

$139 JMD 22.1K

-54.65%

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

$23.08 MX$400

$22.90 JMD 3,625

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.95 MX$484

$47.41 JMD 7,503

-41.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.90 MX$604

$56.4 JMD 8,925

-38.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.97 MX$311

$10.44 JMD 1,652

72.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MX$83.9

$12.63 JMD 1,999

-61.60%

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

$251 MX$4,355

$224 JMD 35.5K

12.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,584 MX$96.7K

$3,662 JMD 579.7K

52.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MX$910

$25.90 JMD 4,099

102.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 MX$697

$24.00 JMD 3,798

67.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 MX$1,623

$67.5 JMD 10.7K

38.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 MX$1,537

$81.0 JMD 12.8K

9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MX$11.3K

$673 JMD 106.5K

-3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 MX$7,761

$354 JMD 56.1K

26.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 MX$21.5K

$1,438 JMD 227.7K

-13.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 MX$14.9K

$919 JMD 145.5K

-6.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,822 MX$48.9K

$2,720 JMD 430.5K

3.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,604 MX$27.8K

$3,080 JMD 487.5K

-47.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$823 MX$14.2K

$757 JMD 119.9K

8.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.34

37.29%

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

Last update for Mexico: April 13, 2026

Last update for Jamaica: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $531 in Mexico vs $203 in Jamaica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,013 in Mexico City and $886 in Kingston.

Average salary: $778 in Mexico vs $757 in Jamaica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 162% higher in Mexico.

Dining out costs 10% more in Jamaica.

Public transport is 175% more expensive in Mexico.

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

Mexico vs Jamaica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jamaica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 111% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Mexico, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Mexico consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Jamaica, contributing to the overall 111% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Jamaica, but in Mexico it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Jamaica is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.