Cost of Living in Jamaica - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Jamaica
Address: JM

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $806 (excluding rent), and $1,343 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,004 (excluding rent), and $3,113 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 JMD 1,376

$4.66 JMD 733

$15.50 JMD 2,441

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 JMD 9,923

$37.80 JMD 5,954

$151 JMD 23.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 JMD 1,277

$6.24 JMD 982

$9.96 JMD 1,569

Cappuccino

$3.64 JMD 574

$1.23 JMD 194

$7.42 JMD 1,168

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

$1.27 JMD 199

$0.82 JMD 129

$2.74 JMD 432

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.61 JMD 96.6

$1.53 JMD 241

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 JMD 402

$1.60 JMD 252

$5.10 JMD 804

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 JMD 495

$2.20 JMD 347

$5.03 JMD 793

Milk (1 liter)

$3.73 JMD 587

$2.23 JMD 351

$5.10 JMD 804

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 JMD 463

$1.58 JMD 249

$4.17 JMD 656

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.00 JMD 157

$3.22 JMD 508

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 545

$2.21 JMD 349

$4.94 JMD 777

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 JMD 1,732

$3.42 JMD 538

$24.80 JMD 3,905

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 JMD 1,265

$2.56 JMD 403

$12.82 JMD 2,019

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 JMD 1,237

$2.83 JMD 446

$24.96 JMD 3,932

Apples (1kg)

$6.07 JMD 957

$1.84 JMD 290

$13.53 JMD 2,131

Banana (1kg)

$3.70 JMD 582

$1.60 JMD 253

$6.34 JMD 999

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 658

$1.90 JMD 300

$6.33 JMD 997

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 JMD 360

$1.13 JMD 178

$3.21 JMD 505

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 JMD 386

$0.96 JMD 151

$5.10 JMD 803

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 329

$1.14 JMD 179

$4.16 JMD 656

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 JMD 350

$1.10 JMD 173

$3.65 JMD 575

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 JMD 197

$0.65 JMD 102

$2.25 JMD 354

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.64 JMD 1,519

$9.01 JMD 1,418

$19.30 JMD 3,039

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 JMD 1,976

$3.86 JMD 608

$19.31 JMD 3,041

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 JMD 419

$1.53 JMD 242

$3.40 JMD 535

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 503

$1.61 JMD 253

$4.17 JMD 656

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 JMD 141

$0.71 JMD 113

$0.90 JMD 141

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 JMD 7,930

$38.18 JMD 6,013

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 JMD 153

$1.94 JMD 305

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 494

$2.82 JMD 444

$3.14 JMD 494

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 JMD 1,321

$4.58 JMD 721

$16.76 JMD 2,640

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 JMD 210

$1.14 JMD 179

$1.59 JMD 250

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$38.2K JMD 6.0M

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

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

$32.1K JMD 5.0M

$25.0K JMD 3.9M

$37.5K JMD 5.9M

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

$142 JMD 22.3K

$81.8 JMD 12.9K

$208 JMD 32.7K

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

$22.67 JMD 3,571

$17.82 JMD 2,807

$41.79 JMD 6,582

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.03 JMD 7,407

$34.68 JMD 5,462

$63.1 JMD 9,932

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 JMD 8,846

$24.96 JMD 3,932

$99.9 JMD 15.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.44 JMD 1,644

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 JMD 1,985

$9.45 JMD 1,488

$15.75 JMD 2,481

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

$229 JMD 36.0K

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

$318 JMD 50.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,642 JMD 573.5K

$1,581 JMD 249.1K

$9,488 JMD 1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.72 JMD 4,209

$12.70 JMD 2,000

$50.8 JMD 8,001

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.55 JMD 3,709

$12.39 JMD 1,951

$46.47 JMD 7,319

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

$40.80 JMD 6,425

$87.9 JMD 13.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 JMD 12.7K

$37.26 JMD 5,868

$124 JMD 19.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 JMD 102.7K

$308 JMD 48.4K

$1,107 JMD 174.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 JMD 57.3K

$191 JMD 30.0K

$635 JMD 100.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 JMD 232.7K

$568 JMD 89.5K

$2,904 JMD 457.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 JMD 142.2K

$496 JMD 78.1K

$1,549 JMD 243.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,684 JMD 422.6K

$2,348 JMD 369.8K

$7,535 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,120 JMD 491.4K

$2,057 JMD 324.0K

$5,861 JMD 923.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$676 JMD 106.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.34

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

Last update: January 20, 2026

By City in Jamaica

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Alexandria	-	44	$764	$894	$1,804	$1,990	199.8	85.42
2	Alligator Pond	-						149.74	67.09
3	Bamboo	-						125.78	85.42
4	Bethel Town	3000						253.78	48.72
5	Buff Bay	-	44	$688	$869	$2,069	$1,956	71.51	70.14
6	Bull Bay	-	42	$559	$837	$1,441	$1,664	193.93	142.41
7	Cave Valley	-	44	$715	$873	$1,864	$2,009	25.63	61.12
8	Claremont	-		$52.8	$54.1	$103	$108	318.77	93.04
9	Constant Spring	-						164.99	142.41
10	Duncans	-	44	$663	$893	$1,673	$1,963	38.42	62.44
11	Easington	-	44	$727	$898	$1,664	$1,964	58.49	67.31
12	Falmouth	-	58	$817	$1,175	$1,683	$2,527	273.67	62.44
13	Golden Grove	-	44	$692	$858	$1,689	$1,977	58.91	67.31
14	Gordon Town	-	44	$703	$890	$1,564	$2,003	180.96	142.41
15	Green Island	-	44	$783	$893	$1,554	$1,996	335.8	61.12
16	Half Way Tree	-	40	$610	$808	$1,765	$1,849	123.58	142.41
17	Kingston	660000	73	$835	$1,461	$2,065	$3,481	36.48	147.37
18	Linstead	-	45	$789	$889	$1,938	$1,977	184.41	107.84
19	Lluidas Vale	-	44	$723	$887	$1,649	$2,022	285.32	107.84
20	Lucea	-	44	$671	$879	$1,986	$2,023	160.41	61.12
21	Manchioneal	-	44	$822	$882	$2,088	$1,958	153.77	70.14
22	Mandeville	-	38	$692	$755	$1,715	$1,815	300.89	67.09
23	May Pen	-		$432	$646	$885	$1,363	231.03	46.63
24	Montego Bay	110115	65	$605	$1,301	$1,794	$2,215	222.98	90.3
25	Negril	-	43	$621	$869	$1,709	$1,849	145.86	67.15
26	Ocho Rios	-	46	$686	$924	$1,706	$2,958	211.7	93.04
27	Old Harbour	-	36	$671	$727	$1,780	$1,626	15.73	107.84
28	Portmore	170000	55	$717	$1,112	$1,615	$2,588	431.9	158.06
29	Richmond	-						88.68	93.04
30	Rocky Point	-						108.17	46.63
31	Saint Andrew Parish	-	57	$711	$1,149	$1,585	$2,638	-	-
32	Saint Ann's Bay	-	67	$614	$1,316	$1,673	$2,752	-	-
33	Santa Cruz	-	44	$645	$876	$2,057	$1,959	137.33	49.21
34	Seaforth	-						65.96	78.05
35	Spanish Town	131056	43	$497	$862	$1,541	$1,992	66.1	139.88
36	Stony Hill	-	55	$801	$1,109	$1,735	$3,743	88.52	142.41
37	Wakefield	-						16.22	48.72

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Jamaica - Frequently Asked Questions

Jamaica offers a mix of value, with affordable options outside main tourist zones and higher costs where resorts cluster. For many, the Cost of Living in Jamaica feels manageable when you lean on local markets, casual eateries, and longer-term housing rather than short-term resort stays. You can stretch a budget by choosing walkable neighborhoods, using public transport, and cooking at home. Seasonal shifts affect availability and prices in popular areas, so plan accordingly. Tip: Start with a longer trial stay in a neighborhood that matches your pace, then adjust as you learn the rhythm of the island.

For daily routines, you search housing by neighborhoods that fit your lifestyle; use local agents and online listings, but view places in person and check water, power, and safety. Food options range from busy street vendors to markets and casual eateries; buying fresh fruit, seafood, and staples supports a balanced budget. Transport is flexible: route buses, shared taxis, or a modest rental car, with walking or cycling possible in smaller towns. Co-working spaces and cafes host digital nomads, making errands like banking and postal services easier in bigger towns. Jamaica living cost varies by area, so pick a base that aligns with work and play. Tip: Build a simple weekly plan to balance work hours and exploration.

Quality of life shines when you pair a clear budgeting framework with flexible routines. Try a simple approach like a 50/30/20 split for housing, essentials, and discretionary spend, then adjust by season and location. Favor neighborhoods that align with your pace – urban in Kingston or beach-adjacent in Montego Bay – while keeping a base with access to groceries, clinics, and coworking. Save by cooking at home, buying seasonal produce, using public transport, and taking advantage of low-cost community events. Plan for hurricane season and off-peak travel to balance energy and safety. Tip: Keep a loose calendar of monthly expenses and a short list of must-haves for easy re-planning.