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: $1,086 in Portmore versus $634 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,829 in Portmore versus $993 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,572 in Portmore versus $1,351 in May Pen.

Living in Portmore is roughly 71% more expensive than May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portmore 19% lower, May Pen 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 JMD 754

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,843

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,413

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 691

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

$0.63 JMD 99.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 JMD 85.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 JMD 303

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 JMD 348

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.21 JMD 348

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 JMD 566

$3.71 JMD 584

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 JMD 159

$3.15 JMD 496

-67.94%

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 550

$3.33 JMD 524

5.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 JMD 1,748

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 JMD 984

$7.41 JMD 1,166

-15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,177

$5.04 JMD 792

48.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 JMD 922

$1.58 JMD 249

270.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 473

$4.99 JMD 785

-39.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$6.20 JMD 975

-52.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 466

$1.85 JMD 292

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$1.91 JMD 301

6.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.92 JMD 302

1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$3.10 JMD 488

-48.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$2.89 JMD 455

-57.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.96 JMD 1,409

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,814

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 447

$2.16 JMD 340

31.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 334

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 JMD 240

$0.83 JMD 131

83.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 JMD 9,958

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.36 JMD 214

-20.59%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

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

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

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

$155 JMD 24.4K

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

$21.91 JMD 3,446

$43.00 JMD 6,762

-49.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$39.76 JMD 6,253

26.31%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

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

$226 JMD 35.5K

$318 JMD 50.0K

-28.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 JMD 4,123

$15.93 JMD 2,505

64.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 JMD 4,090

$21.77 JMD 3,424

19.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$41.01 JMD 6,449

76.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

$53.7 JMD 8,439

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 JMD 49.9K

$177 JMD 27.8K

79.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 JMD 34.3K

$221 JMD 34.7K

-1.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 JMD 104.2K

$574 JMD 90.2K

15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 JMD 93.9K

$433 JMD 68.1K

37.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for May Pen: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 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 71% 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 $1,629 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: $317 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 $1,086 per month in Portmore versus $634 in May Pen – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Portmore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $634 in May Pen versus $1,086 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 71% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.