Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and May Pen Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and May Pen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,314 in Montego Bay versus $634 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,787 in Montego Bay versus $993 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,261 in Montego Bay versus $1,351 in May Pen.

Living in Montego Bay is roughly 107% more expensive than May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Montego Bay 2% lower, May Pen 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JMD 7,905

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 JMD 1,161

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

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

$1.33 JMD 209

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 JMD 397

$2.21 JMD 348

14.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 JMD 434

$3.71 JMD 584

-25.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$3.15 JMD 496

-48.25%

Eggs

$3.56 JMD 559

$3.33 JMD 524

6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 JMD 1,721

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,014

$7.41 JMD 1,166

-12.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 JMD 1,189

$5.04 JMD 792

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 JMD 537

$1.58 JMD 249

116.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$4.99 JMD 785

-37.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 JMD 427

$6.20 JMD 975

-56.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 JMD 275

$1.85 JMD 292

-5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$1.91 JMD 301

6.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 178

$1.92 JMD 302

-41.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 JMD 301

$3.10 JMD 488

-38.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 JMD 149

$2.89 JMD 455

-67.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 JMD 1,420

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 JMD 1,773

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 JMD 332

$2.16 JMD 340

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 497

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 JMD 151

$0.83 JMD 131

15.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 505

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 JMD 1,006

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.36 JMD 214

-5.15%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

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

$21.15 JMD 3,327

$43.00 JMD 6,762

-50.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.83 JMD 7,522

$39.76 JMD 6,253

20.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.84 JMD 5,952

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 JMD 1,188

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

$63.0 JMD 9,903

$318 JMD 50.0K

-80.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.80 JMD 4,057

$15.93 JMD 2,505

61.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.75 JMD 3,106

$21.77 JMD 3,424

-9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

$41.01 JMD 6,449

62.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$53.7 JMD 8,439

40.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 JMD 41.8K

$177 JMD 27.8K

50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 JMD 70.4K

$221 JMD 34.7K

102.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 JMD 102.0K

$574 JMD 90.2K

13.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 JMD 69.6K

$433 JMD 68.1K

2.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 JMD 86.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Montego Bay: June 7, 2026

Last update for May Pen: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Montego Bay and $177 in May Pen. 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

Montego Bay vs May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Montego 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 $1,971 in Montego Bay and $952 in May Pen 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: $266 in Montego Bay versus $177 in May Pen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,314 per month in Montego Bay versus $634 in May Pen – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Montego Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $634 in May Pen versus $1,314 in Montego Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Montego 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 107% less than in Montego Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.