Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Yokneam Illit Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Yokneam Illit

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,181 per month in Montego Bay vs $2,653 in Yokneam Illit, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,163 per month in Montego Bay vs $4,030 in Yokneam Illit, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,145 per month in Montego Bay vs $5,407 in Yokneam Illit, rent included.

Montego Bay is about 55% cheaper than Yokneam Illit, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montego Bay sits 14% below the global median, while Yokneam Illit is 92% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 JMD 1,703

$26.17 ₪79.3

-58.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$104 ₪314

-26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 JMD 1,416

$18.53 ₪56.2

-51.32%

Cappuccino

$5.18 JMD 813

$4.78 ₪14.49

8.37%

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

$0.91 JMD 143

$3.52 ₪10.67

-74.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 115

$2.68 ₪8.12

-72.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

$10.76 ₪32.61

-79.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 497

$10.53 ₪31.92

-69.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 JMD 529

$2.54 ₪7.70

32.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 JMD 426

$3.67 ₪11.11

-26.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 JMD 219

$3.26 ₪9.89

-57.36%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 541

$4.62 ₪14.00

-25.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 JMD 1,813

$13.32 ₪40.36

-13.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 JMD 992

$12.91 ₪39.12

-51.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 JMD 1,443

$23.51 ₪71.3

-60.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 JMD 644

$5.62 ₪17.02

-27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 JMD 388

$2.91 ₪8.83

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.57 JMD 1,189

$2.39 ₪7.23

216.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 JMD 391

$2.64 ₪8.01

-5.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 JMD 393

$1.75 ₪5.29

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 JMD 413

$1.41 ₪4.27

86.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 JMD 384

$2.37 ₪7.19

2.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 JMD 121

$2.34 ₪7.08

-67.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 JMD 1,509

$9.82 ₪29.76

-2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.33 JMD 1,779

$13.17 ₪39.90

-13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 JMD 459

$3.31 ₪10.03

-11.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 JMD 641

$4.08 ₪12.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 JMD 146

$2.61 ₪7.92

-64.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 ₪226

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

$4.51 ₪13.68

-79.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 JMD 484

$1.26 ₪3.82

144.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 JMD 984

$38.00 ₪115

-83.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 JMD 217

$2.69 ₪8.15

-48.70%

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

$43.9K JMD 6.9M

$59.8K ₪181.1K

-26.60%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$60.4K ₪183.1K

-44.82%

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

$175 JMD 27.5K

$197 ₪597

-11.02%

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

$22.33 JMD 3,507

$12.14 ₪36.79

83.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.72 JMD 7,653

$36.33 ₪110

34.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.12 JMD 6,931

$75.3 ₪228

-41.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.31 JMD 1,306

$15.88 ₪48.12

-47.67%

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

$362 JMD 56.9K

$1,182 ₪3,582

-69.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 JMD 1.3M

$29.6K ₪89.8K

-72.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.18 JMD 3,641

$114 ₪345

-79.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.28 JMD 4,914

$67.2 ₪204

-53.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 JMD 10.9K

$135 ₪410

-48.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 JMD 15.7K

$161 ₪488

-38.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 JMD 50.4K

$1,561 ₪4,731

-79.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.7K

$1,174 ₪3,557

-81.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 JMD 146.5K

$2,384 ₪7,225

-60.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 JMD 148.6K

$1,902 ₪5,763

-50.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,633 ₪29.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,954 ₪24.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 JMD 92.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

5.05

87.13%

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

Last update for Montego Bay: September 8, 2026

Last update for Yokneam Illit: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Montego Bay versus $1,561 in Yokneam Illit. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Montego Bay versus $104 in Yokneam Illit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $434 – making Montego Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Yokneam Illit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokneam Illit costs about 125% more than Montego Bay, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,772 per month in Montego Bay and $3,980 in Yokneam Illit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montego Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Montego Bay and $104 in Yokneam Illit. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Yokneam Illit, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Montego Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,181, than in Yokneam Illit at $2,653. In Montego Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yokneam Illit it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montego Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montego Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yokneam Illit makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.