Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in May Pen: $722 a month against $1,006 in Saint Ann’s Bay, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. The total is higher in Saint Ann’s Bay despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Saint Ann's Bay
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Saint Ann's Bay Living Index

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Saint Ann's Bay

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,006

/mo nomad

May Pen

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$722

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Ann's Bay and in May Pen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Ann's Bay and in May Pen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,006 in Saint Ann’s Bay versus $722 in May Pen.

Saint Ann's Bay $1,006
May Pen $722

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,600 in Saint Ann’s Bay versus $818 in May Pen.

Saint Ann's Bay $1,600
May Pen $818

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,195 in Saint Ann’s Bay versus $914 in May Pen.

Saint Ann's Bay $2,195
May Pen $914

Living in Saint Ann’s Bay is roughly 39% more expensive than in May Pen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Ann’s Bay 26% lower, May Pen 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.35 JMD 2,105

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 JMD 7,922

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 JMD 1,311

Cappuccino

$5.46 JMD 862

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

$1.20 JMD 190

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 110

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 JMD 354

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 JMD 492

Milk (1 liter)

$4.07 JMD 641

$2.23 JMD 352

82.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 JMD 589

$3.69 JMD 583

1.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 258

$3.12 JMD 492

-47.76%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 547

$3.37 JMD 531

2.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,766

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 JMD 978

$7.67 JMD 1,209

-19.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 JMD 1,591

$5.10 JMD 804

97.84%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 JMD 946

$1.60 JMD 253

275.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.99 JMD 629

$4.93 JMD 777

-19.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 JMD 1,187

$6.33 JMD 998

18.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 469

$1.85 JMD 291

61.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 JMD 518

$1.93 JMD 304

69.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 JMD 414

$1.93 JMD 304

35.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 497

$3.08 JMD 485

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 226

$2.90 JMD 458

-50.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.30 JMD 1,467

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 JMD 1,802

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 JMD 464

$2.26 JMD 357

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 JMD 636

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 JMD 204

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 JMD 501

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 JMD 1,016

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 JMD 205

$1.41 JMD 223

-7.80%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

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

$32.7K JMD 5.2M

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

$169 JMD 26.6K

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

$29.03 JMD 4,577

$42.49 JMD 6,701

-31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 JMD 8,346

$53.7 JMD 8,463

-1.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 JMD 2,114

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

$366 JMD 57.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,305 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.59 JMD 3,719

$15.88 JMD 2,503

48.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.44 JMD 4,957

$21.63 JMD 3,411

45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 JMD 12.4K

$41.60 JMD 6,560

88.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 JMD 16.0K

$52.7 JMD 8,310

92.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 JMD 45.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

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

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

Last update for May Pen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Saint Ann's Bay

$383 38.1%

May Pen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Ann's Bay

$251 24.9%

May Pen

–

Eating Out

Saint Ann's Bay

$222 22.1%

May Pen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Ann's Bay

$106 10.5%

May Pen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Ann's Bay

$27 * 2.7%

May Pen

–

Getting Around

Saint Ann's Bay

$17 * 1.7%

May Pen

–

Accommodation & Living

Saint Ann's Bay

- * 0%

May Pen

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇯🇲 Saint Ann's Bay

🇯🇲 May Pen

🕒 Local time

10:08 10:08 AM

Same time as Saint Ann's Bay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,671

44,755

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Saint Ann's Bay May Pen 52 km

From you

Saint Ann's Bay
May Pen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 28% 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 $1,508 in Saint Ann’s Bay and $1,083 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Saint Ann’s Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $1,006 per month in Saint Ann’s Bay versus $722 in May Pen – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $722 in May Pen versus $1,006 in Saint Ann’s Bay, a $800 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.