Cost of living in Montego Bay

In Montego Bay, Jamaica, a single person typically needs around $1018 per month including rent. A family of four may spend about $2184 monthly.

How expensive is Montego Bay compared to other cities?

Compared to the European benchmark, Montego Bay is 29% cheaper overall.

How does Montego Bay compare to your city?

Montego Bay is 21% cheaper than Columbus, without rent.

Rent in Montego Bay is, on average, 64% lower than in Columbus.

What drives the cost of living in Montego Bay?

Who is Montego Bay a good fit for?

Montego Bay tends to fit higher-income residents who can comfortably absorb housing costs. It can be challenging on a moderate budget, mainly due to rent and utilities.

FAQ

Why is Montego Bay so expensive?

The primary driver of higher costs in Montego Bay is rent and utilities, which can significantly impact budgets.

Is food expensive in Montego Bay?

Food costs in Montego Bay are 16% lower than the European benchmark, making it relatively affordable.

Is public transport affordable in Montego Bay?

Public transport is 18% lower than the European benchmark, contributing to overall affordability.

Cost of living breakdown

Cost of Living, one person, including rent
1018 $
Without Rent
534 $
Rent & Utilities
484 $
Food
402 $
Transport
62 $
Monthly Salary, after tax
474 $
GDP per Capita
6,874 $
Freedom Index
7.56
Lifespan
71 years
Speak English
98%
Population
124.0K

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Update Prices

Restaurants

Lunch menu, inexpensive restaurant 6.47 $
Dinner 58.6 $
Fast food, McDonalds or KFC 6.58 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 2.88 $
Capuccino 2.89 $
Coke, 330ml 1.4 $

Compare Montego Bay with:

Markets

Milk, 1 L or 1 qt 2.51 $
Bread, 0.5 kg or 1 lb 2.05 $
Rice, 1 kg or 2 lb 1.07 $
Eggs, 12 pack 2.98 $
Cheese, 1 kg or 2 lb 12.6 $
Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2 lb 8.43 $
Round Steak, 1 kg or 2 lb 8.26 $
Apples, 1 kg or 2 lb 4.61 $
Banana, 1 kg or 2 lb 3.12 $
Oranges, 1 kg or 2 lb 2.83 $
Tomato, 1 kg or 2 lb 2.61 $
Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 2.16 $
Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 1.13 $
Water, 1 L or 1 qt 0.66 $
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz 1.53 $
Wine, 750 mL bottle 16.4 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 2.1 $
Cigarette pack 7.9 $

Transportation

One-way Ticket 0.96 $
Monthly Pass 41.1 $
Gas or Petrol, 1l or 0.26 gal 1.19 $
Taxi, 8 km 26.2 $

Personal Care

Doctor Visit, private clinic 25 $
Cold medicine, for 1 week 6.26 $
Hair Shampoo, 400 ml or 12 oz. 4.24 $
Toilet paper, 4 rolls 2.61 $
Toothpaste, 1 tube 2.04 $

Utilities per Month

1 person, electricity, heating, water & garbage 86 $
Family of 4, electricity, heating, water & garbage 132 $
Internet plan, +60 Mbps 38.4 $

Rent per Month

1 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 40 sq.m 369 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 85 sq.m 503 $
1 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 40 sq.m 323 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 85 sq.m 650 $

Buy Apartment Price

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment, in city center 1,807 $
Price per Square Meter to Buy House, in suburbs 1,696 $

Salaries and Financing

Average Monthly Net Salary, after tax 474 $
Mortgage Interest Rate, for 20 years fixed-rate 7.93%

Sports and Leisure

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 35.7 $
Cinema, 1 seat 7.4 $
Haircut 7.15 $

Clothing and Shoes

Brand Sneakers, mid-range, Nike or similar 61.8 $
Brand Jeans, Levis 501 31.8 $

Childcare

Preschool, full day, monthly for 1 child 65 $
International Primary School, yearly for 1 child 1,894 $

Compare Montego Bay with other top cities

Cayman Islands
Montego Bay vs George Town (George Town is 258% more expensive)
Bahamas
Montego Bay vs Nassau (Nassau is 171% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Freeport (Freeport is 116% more expensive)
Vanuatu
Montego Bay vs Port Vila (Port Vila is 131% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Luganville (Luganville is 200% more expensive)
United States
Montego Bay vs New York City (New York City is 298% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Los Angeles (Los Angeles is 213% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Chicago (Chicago is 162% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Houston (Houston is 121% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Phoenix (Phoenix is 133% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Philadelphia (Philadelphia is 150% more expensive) Montego Bay vs San Antonio (San Antonio is 116% more expensive) Montego Bay vs San Diego (San Diego is 229% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Dallas (Dallas is 150% more expensive) Montego Bay vs San Jose (San Jose is 261% more expensive)
Canada
Montego Bay vs Toronto (Toronto is 153% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Montreal (Montreal is 92% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Calgary (Calgary is 111% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Ottawa (Ottawa is 120% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Edmonton (Edmonton is 75% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Winnipeg (Winnipeg is 72% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Mississauga (Mississauga is 143% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Vancouver (Vancouver is 160% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Brampton (Brampton is 109% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Hamilton (Hamilton is 112% more expensive)
Barbados
Montego Bay vs Bridgetown (Bridgetown is 34% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Holetown (Holetown is 37% more expensive)
Panama
Montego Bay vs Panama City (Panama City is 36% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Colon (Colon is 16% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Tocumen (Tocumen is 21% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Santiago de Veraguas (Santiago de Veraguas is 4% more expensive) Montego Bay vs David (David is 18% less expensive) Montego Bay vs La Chorrera (La Chorrera is 6% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Balboa (Balboa is 23% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Pacora (Pacora is 23% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Chitre (Chitre is 7% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Penonome (Penonome is 8% more expensive)
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Montego Bay vs Basseterre (Basseterre is 22% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Cayon (Cayon is 22% more expensive)
Cuba
Montego Bay vs Havana (Havana is 1% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Santiago de Cuba (Santiago de Cuba is 39% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Holguin (Holguin is 26% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Camaguey (Camaguey is 50% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Santa Clara (Santa Clara is 3% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Bayamo (Bayamo is 15% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Guantanamo (Guantanamo is 53% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Las Tunas (Las Tunas is 53% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Pinar del Rio (Pinar del Rio is 8% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos is 14% less expensive)
Costa Rica
Montego Bay vs San Jose (San Jose is 22% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Limon (Limon is 18% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Liberia (Liberia is 12% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Alajuela (Alajuela is 21% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Puntarenas (Puntarenas is 25% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Cartago (Cartago is 6% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Heredia (Heredia is 22% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Tamarindo (Tamarindo is 66% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa is 29% more expensive)
Saint Lucia
Montego Bay vs Castries (Castries is 14% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Vieux Fort (Vieux Fort is 17% more expensive)
Jamaica
Montego Bay vs Kingston (Kingston is 30% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Spanish Town (Spanish Town is 23% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Montego Bay (Montego Bay has similar costs) Montego Bay vs Half Way Tree (Half Way Tree is 14% more expensive) Montego Bay vs May Pen (May Pen is 19% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Mandeville (Mandeville is 4% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Old Harbour (Old Harbour is 17% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Linstead (Linstead is 3% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Savanna-la-Mar (Savanna-la-Mar is 10% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Port Antonio (Port Antonio is 12% more expensive)
El Salvador
Montego Bay vs San Salvador (San Salvador is 17% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Santa Ana (Santa Ana is 30% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Soyapango (Soyapango is 15% more expensive) Montego Bay vs San Miguel (San Miguel is 6% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Mejicanos (Mejicanos is 14% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Apopa (Apopa is 12% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla is 18% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan is 43% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Usulutan (Usulutan is 7% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Sonsonate (Sonsonate is 13% less expensive)
Antigua And Barbuda
Montego Bay vs St. John's (St. John's is 6% more expensive) Montego Bay vs All Saints (All Saints is 6% more expensive)
Grenada
Montego Bay vs St. George's (St. George's is 5% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Grenville (Grenville is 4% more expensive)
Dominica
Montego Bay vs Roseau (Roseau is 1% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Portsmouth (Portsmouth is 12% more expensive)
Saint Vincent
Montego Bay vs Kingstown (Kingstown is 4% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Georgetown (Georgetown is 1% less expensive)
Belize
Montego Bay vs Belize City (Belize City is 14% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Ignacio (San Ignacio is 7% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Belmopan (Belmopan is 28% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Pedro Town (San Pedro Town is 31% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Caye Caulker (Caye Caulker is 55% more expensive)
Guatemala
Montego Bay vs Guatemala City (Guatemala City is 1% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Mixco (Mixco is 37% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Coban (Coban is 10% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango is 24% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Jalapa (Jalapa is 11% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Miguel Petapa (San Miguel Petapa is 12% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Momostenango (Momostenango is 14% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Mazatenango (Mazatenango is 15% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Flores (Flores is 16% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Panajachel (Panajachel is 22% less expensive)
Honduras
Montego Bay vs Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa is 19% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Pedro Sula (San Pedro Sula is 2% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Choloma (Choloma is 41% less expensive) Montego Bay vs La Ceiba (La Ceiba is 36% less expensive) Montego Bay vs El Progreso (El Progreso is 13% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Villanueva (Villanueva is 15% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Comayagua (Comayagua is 30% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Puerto Cortes (Puerto Cortes is 29% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Yoro (Yoro is 28% less expensive) Montego Bay vs La Lima (La Lima is 15% less expensive)
Dominican Republic
Montego Bay vs Santiago de los Caballeros (Santiago de los Caballeros is 22% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo is 3% more expensive) Montego Bay vs Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata is 25% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Higuey (Higuey is 24% less expensive) Montego Bay vs La Vega (La Vega is 44% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Cristobal (San Cristobal is 18% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Pedro de Macoris (San Pedro de Macoris is 28% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Francisco de Macoris (San Francisco de Macoris is 48% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Juan de la Maguana (San Juan de la Maguana is 39% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Bonao (Bonao is 47% less expensive)
Nicaragua
Montego Bay vs Managua (Managua is 24% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Leon (Leon is 37% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Masaya (Masaya is 30% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Matagalpa (Matagalpa is 46% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Chinandega (Chinandega is 37% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Esteli (Esteli is 42% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Granada (Granada is 32% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Jinotega (Jinotega is 55% less expensive) Montego Bay vs Juigalpa (Juigalpa is 35% less expensive) Montego Bay vs San Juan del Sur (San Juan del Sur is 13% less expensive)