Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Ann's Bay and May Pen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Ann's Bay and May Pen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $635 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,019 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $987 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,690 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $1,340 in May Pen.

Living in Saint Ann's Bay is roughly 112% more expensive than in May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above, May Pen is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.85 JMD 7,840

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,387

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 694

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

$1.35 JMD 213

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 JMD 385

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

Milk (1 liter)

$4.30 JMD 676

$2.23 JMD 351

92.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 JMD 433

$3.85 JMD 605

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$3.15 JMD 495

-50.79%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 568

$3.42 JMD 538

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 JMD 1,743

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 JMD 990

$7.46 JMD 1,173

-15.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 JMD 1,181

$4.88 JMD 768

53.89%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 JMD 967

$1.53 JMD 241

301.96%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 485

$5.16 JMD 811

-40.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 JMD 660

$6.36 JMD 1,001

-33.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 471

$1.83 JMD 288

63.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 JMD 322

$1.84 JMD 289

11.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 314

$1.92 JMD 301

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 489

$3.07 JMD 482

1.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 JMD 174

$2.89 JMD 454

-61.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 JMD 1,413

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 JMD 1,801

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JMD 454

$2.13 JMD 336

35.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 488

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 493

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 979

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 202

$1.37 JMD 215

-6.57%

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

$23.8K JMD 3.7M

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

$17.4K JMD 2.7M

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

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

$21.88 JMD 3,441

$41.82 JMD 6,577

-47.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 JMD 8,033

$39.20 JMD 6,166

30.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

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

$223 JMD 35.1K

$316 JMD 49.7K

-29.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 395.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.02 JMD 4,092

$15.93 JMD 2,505

63.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 JMD 4,068

$21.61 JMD 3,400

19.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 JMD 10.7K

$40.16 JMD 6,316

69.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

$53.5 JMD 8,409

42.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 JMD 80.3K

$177 JMD 27.9K

188.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 JMD 74.9K

$215 JMD 33.9K

121.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 JMD 155.9K

$563 JMD 88.6K

75.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 JMD 128.2K

$442 JMD 69.5K

84.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: July 26, 2026

Last update for May Pen: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Saint Ann's Bay 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

Saint Ann's Bay vs May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 $2,022 in Saint Ann's Bay 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: $511 in Saint Ann's Bay 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 $1,348 per month in Saint Ann's Bay versus $635 in May Pen – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Saint Ann's Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $635 in May Pen versus $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 112% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.