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: $1,102 in Portmore versus $635 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,849 in Portmore versus $987 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,595 in Portmore versus $1,340 in May Pen.

Living in Portmore is roughly 74% more expensive than in May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portmore 17% lower, May Pen 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 JMD 755

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,817

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,366

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 693

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

$0.63 JMD 98.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 79.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 JMD 290

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 355

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 488

$2.23 JMD 351

39.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 558

$3.85 JMD 605

-7.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 JMD 160

$3.15 JMD 495

-67.62%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 564

$3.42 JMD 538

4.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 JMD 1,708

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 973

$7.46 JMD 1,173

-17.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,176

$4.88 JMD 768

53.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 JMD 929

$1.53 JMD 241

286.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 471

$5.16 JMD 811

-42.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 JMD 453

$6.36 JMD 1,001

-54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 478

$1.83 JMD 288

66.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$1.84 JMD 289

14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 303

$1.92 JMD 301

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 JMD 240

$3.07 JMD 482

-50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 JMD 200

$2.89 JMD 454

-56.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 JMD 1,362

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,755

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 441

$2.13 JMD 336

31.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 335

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 JMD 250

$0.83 JMD 131

91.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 JMD 9,974

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 JMD 146

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,011

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.37 JMD 215

-20.44%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

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

$156 JMD 24.6K

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

$21.70 JMD 3,414

$41.82 JMD 6,577

-48.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 JMD 8,087

$39.20 JMD 6,166

31.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 JMD 2,082

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

$227 JMD 35.6K

$316 JMD 49.7K

-28.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 385.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.67 JMD 4,037

$15.93 JMD 2,505

61.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 JMD 4,090

$21.61 JMD 3,400

20.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$40.16 JMD 6,316

77.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

$53.5 JMD 8,409

44.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 JMD 48.8K

$177 JMD 27.9K

75.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 JMD 35.0K

$215 JMD 33.9K

3.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 JMD 104.0K

$563 JMD 88.6K

17.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 JMD 91.7K

$442 JMD 69.5K

31.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,860 JMD 921.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 JMD 206.4K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for May Pen: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Portmore 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

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

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 74% 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 $1,653 in Portmore 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: $310 in Portmore 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 $1,102 per month in Portmore versus $635 in May Pen – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Portmore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $635 in May Pen versus $1,102 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 74% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.