Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Old Harbour and May Pen

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $722 a month against $998 in Old Harbour, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Old Harbour despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Old Harbour
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Old Harbour Living Index

Jump to prices

Old Harbour

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$998

/mo nomad

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$722

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Old Harbour and in May Pen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Old Harbour and in May Pen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $998 in Old Harbour versus $722 in May Pen.

Old Harbour $998
May Pen $722

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,652 in Old Harbour versus $819 in May Pen.

Old Harbour $1,652
May Pen $819

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,305 in Old Harbour versus $916 in May Pen.

Old Harbour $2,305
May Pen $916

Living in Old Harbour is roughly 38% more expensive than in May Pen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Old Harbour 26% lower, May Pen 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.53 JMD 2,138

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 JMD 11.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 JMD 1,253

Cappuccino

$5.24 JMD 828

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

$1.20 JMD 190

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 115

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 343

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 500

Milk (1 liter)

$4.03 JMD 636

$2.26 JMD 357

78.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 JMD 595

$3.71 JMD 586

1.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 251

$3.09 JMD 489

-48.54%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 548

$3.45 JMD 544

0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 JMD 1,783

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 JMD 1,008

$7.66 JMD 1,210

-16.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.30 JMD 1,628

$5.06 JMD 800

103.56%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 JMD 963

$1.55 JMD 244

292.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.80 JMD 601

$5.16 JMD 816

-26.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.45 JMD 1,177

$6.21 JMD 981

19.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 484

$1.93 JMD 306

58.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 JMD 519

$1.92 JMD 303

70.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 JMD 427

$1.83 JMD 289

47.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 JMD 479

$3.23 JMD 510

-6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 229

$2.77 JMD 437

-47.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.24 JMD 1,459

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 JMD 1,803

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 442

$2.14 JMD 338

30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 JMD 633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 JMD 184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 JMD 486

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 JMD 968

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 JMD 232

$1.42 JMD 224

3.52%

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

$44.8K JMD 7.1M

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

$32.8K JMD 5.2M

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

$164 JMD 26.0K

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

$29.43 JMD 4,650

$42.80 JMD 6,762

-31.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 JMD 8,374

$53.5 JMD 8,447

-0.88%

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 JMD 2,062

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

$361 JMD 57.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,389 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 JMD 3,710

$15.99 JMD 2,526

46.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.98 JMD 5,053

$21.55 JMD 3,405

48.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 JMD 12.0K

$41.56 JMD 6,566

83.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 JMD 16.4K

$53.3 JMD 8,421

94.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 JMD 45.4K

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 Old Harbour: October 12, 2026

Last update for May Pen: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Old Harbour

$383 38.4%

May Pen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Old Harbour

$247 24.7%

May Pen

–

Eating Out

Old Harbour

$220 22%

May Pen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Old Harbour

$106 10.6%

May Pen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Old Harbour

$26 * 2.6%

May Pen

–

Getting Around

Old Harbour

$17 * 1.7%

May Pen

–

Accommodation & Living

Old Harbour

- * 0%

May Pen

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇯🇲 Old Harbour

🇯🇲 May Pen

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Old Harbour

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,024

44,755

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Old Harbour May Pen 16 km

From you

Old Harbour
May Pen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Old Harbour vs May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Old Harbour. 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 $1,497 in Old Harbour and $1,083 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Old Harbour. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $998 per month in Old Harbour versus $722 in May Pen – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though May Pen gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 38% less than in Old Harbour. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.