Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,166 in Montego Bay versus $1,054 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,151 in Montego Bay versus $1,700 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,136 in Montego Bay versus $2,346 in Alexandria.

Living in Montego Bay is roughly 11% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Montego Bay 15% lower, Alexandria 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 JMD 1,753

$15.67 JMD 2,459

-28.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.69 JMD 1,363

$8.79 JMD 1,380

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$5.50 JMD 863

$5.46 JMD 857

0.73%

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

$0.94 JMD 147

$1.19 JMD 187

-21.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 110

$0.73 JMD 115

-4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 JMD 356

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 483

$3.22 JMD 505

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.40 JMD 534

$4.25 JMD 666

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 JMD 424

$3.71 JMD 582

-27.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 JMD 220

$1.65 JMD 259

-15.15%

Eggs

$3.60 JMD 565

$3.47 JMD 545

3.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 JMD 1,773

$11.54 JMD 1,810

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 JMD 981

$6.43 JMD 1,008

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 JMD 1,438

$10.27 JMD 1,611

-10.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 656

$6.12 JMD 961

-31.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 JMD 392

$3.93 JMD 617

-36.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 JMD 1,181

$7.22 JMD 1,132

4.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 JMD 388

$3.11 JMD 488

-20.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 JMD 388

$3.32 JMD 522

-25.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 430

$2.74 JMD 429

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 JMD 397

$3.00 JMD 471

-15.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 JMD 130

$1.51 JMD 238

-45.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 JMD 1,487

$9.58 JMD 1,504

-1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,774

$11.39 JMD 1,787

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 445

$2.94 JMD 461

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 JMD 614

$4.10 JMD 644

-4.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 JMD 144

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 JMD 151

$1.22 JMD 192

-21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 496

$3.22 JMD 505

-1.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 984

$6.21 JMD 974

1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 JMD 209

$1.39 JMD 218

-4.32%

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

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

0.77%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

2.82%

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

$176 JMD 27.6K

$177 JMD 27.7K

-0.59%

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

$22.70 JMD 3,561

$29.86 JMD 4,685

-23.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.70 JMD 7,640

$53.6 JMD 8,403

-9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 JMD 6,881

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 JMD 1,338

$13.44 JMD 2,109

-36.53%

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

$362 JMD 56.8K

$368 JMD 57.7K

-1.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

$8,319 JMD 1.3M

-1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.95 JMD 3,757

$23.65 JMD 3,710

1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.22 JMD 4,899

$31.07 JMD 4,875

0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 JMD 10.9K

$78.8 JMD 12.4K

-12.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.1K

$102 JMD 15.9K

1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 JMD 49.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 JMD 151.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 JMD 152.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 JMD 94.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

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

Last update for Montego Bay: September 13, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $77.0 in Montego Bay vs $77.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $388 per month, with Montego Bay cheaper across the board.

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

Montego Bay vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montego Bay and Alexandria differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,166 vs $1,054 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,749 in Montego Bay and $1,581 in Alexandria 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.

Childcare runs $362 in Montego Bay versus $368 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $77.0 in Montego Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,054 in Alexandria versus $1,166 in Montego Bay, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Montego Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Montego Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.