Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and May Pen Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and May Pen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Portmore versus $632 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Portmore versus $986 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,594 in Portmore versus $1,339 in May Pen.

Living in Portmore is roughly 76% more expensive than May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portmore 17% lower, May Pen 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 JMD 759

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 JMD 9,912

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,384

Cappuccino

$4.23 JMD 667

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

$0.69 JMD 108

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 79.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 JMD 292

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 JMD 351

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 JMD 481

$2.22 JMD 349

37.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 572

$3.67 JMD 578

-1.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 JMD 156

$3.09 JMD 486

-67.96%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 556

$3.44 JMD 541

2.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 JMD 1,761

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,014

$7.54 JMD 1,188

-14.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,182

$5.07 JMD 798

47.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 943

$1.54 JMD 242

288.96%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 489

$5.03 JMD 793

-38.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 465

$6.43 JMD 1,013

-54.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 482

$1.91 JMD 301

60.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 316

$1.85 JMD 292

8.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 JMD 314

$1.92 JMD 302

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$3.18 JMD 501

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 JMD 201

$2.85 JMD 450

-55.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 JMD 1,372

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,809

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 448

$2.17 JMD 342

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 JMD 355

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 JMD 253

$0.81 JMD 127

97.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 JMD 9,911

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 144

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 511

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 JMD 991

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.35 JMD 212

-20.00%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

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

$156 JMD 24.5K

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

$22.40 JMD 3,527

$42.07 JMD 6,626

-46.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,151

$38.96 JMD 6,136

32.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,074

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

$224 JMD 35.3K

$310 JMD 48.9K

-27.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,479 JMD 390.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.93 JMD 4,084

$15.62 JMD 2,460

66.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 JMD 3,988

$22.03 JMD 3,469

14.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

$40.34 JMD 6,352

72.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$53.8 JMD 8,468

39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 JMD 49.5K

$176 JMD 27.8K

78.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.9K

$220 JMD 34.6K

-2.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 JMD 101.7K

$557 JMD 87.7K

15.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 JMD 94.1K

$444 JMD 70.0K

34.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,724 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,745 JMD 904.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,267 JMD 199.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Portmore: April 27, 2026

Last update for May Pen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $314 in Portmore and $176 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

Portmore vs May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Portmore. 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 $1,668 in Portmore and $948 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: $314 in Portmore versus $176 in May Pen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,112 per month in Portmore versus $632 in May Pen – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Portmore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $632 in May Pen versus $1,112 in Portmore, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Portmore. 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 76% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.