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: $1,360 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $646 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $987 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,695 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $1,328 in May Pen.

Living in Saint Ann's Bay is roughly 111% more expensive than 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

$7.52 JMD 1,190

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.83 JMD 7,887

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 JMD 1,410

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 698

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

$1.36 JMD 215

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 114

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 389

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 509

Milk (1 liter)

$4.43 JMD 701

$2.23 JMD 353

98.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 JMD 420

$3.84 JMD 608

-30.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 253

$3.10 JMD 491

-48.39%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 545

$3.28 JMD 519

4.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 JMD 1,780

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,033

$7.58 JMD 1,199

-13.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 JMD 1,195

$4.98 JMD 788

51.61%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 957

$1.55 JMD 245

290.32%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 491

$5.13 JMD 811

-39.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 JMD 658

$6.27 JMD 993

-33.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 JMD 478

$1.86 JMD 294

62.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 332

$1.84 JMD 291

14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 316

$1.91 JMD 303

4.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 469

$3.20 JMD 507

-7.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 JMD 183

$2.77 JMD 438

-58.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.80 JMD 1,393

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 JMD 1,796

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 445

$2.16 JMD 342

30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 499

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 JMD 138

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 JMD 153

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 JMD 517

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 999

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.37 JMD 217

-9.49%

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

$23.6K JMD 3.7M

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

$17.2K JMD 2.7M

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

$166 JMD 26.3K

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

$22.26 JMD 3,523

$42.21 JMD 6,681

-47.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 JMD 8,211

$38.52 JMD 6,097

34.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,045

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

$230 JMD 36.4K

$316 JMD 50.0K

-27.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,517 JMD 398.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.36 JMD 4,172

$15.94 JMD 2,523

65.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 JMD 4,118

$21.48 JMD 3,400

21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

$41.08 JMD 6,502

67.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 JMD 12.1K

$52.9 JMD 8,377

44.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 JMD 78.4K

$172 JMD 27.2K

187.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 JMD 75.2K

$215 JMD 34.0K

120.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 JMD 158.2K

$567 JMD 89.8K

76.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 JMD 131.3K

$431 JMD 68.2K

92.47%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for May Pen: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Saint Ann's Bay and $172 in May Pen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50 in Saint Ann's Bay vs $0 in May Pen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $278 per month, with May Pen cheaper across the board.

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 111% 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 $2,040 in Saint Ann's Bay and $968 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: $495 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $172 in May Pen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,360 per month in Saint Ann's Bay versus $646 in May Pen – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Saint Ann's Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in May Pen versus $1,360 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 111% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.