Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Portmore Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Portmore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Alexandria versus $1,243 in Portmore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Alexandria versus $2,094 in Portmore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,346 in Alexandria versus $2,944 in Portmore.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 15% less than in Portmore, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 23% lower, Portmore 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.67 JMD 2,456

$10.22 JMD 1,602

53.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

$62.2 JMD 9,744

24.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 JMD 1,378

$8.98 JMD 1,408

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$5.46 JMD 856

$5.19 JMD 814

5.20%

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

$1.19 JMD 187

$0.92 JMD 144

29.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 114

$0.65 JMD 102

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 JMD 355

$2.17 JMD 341

4.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 505

$2.18 JMD 341

47.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.25 JMD 665

$3.10 JMD 486

37.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 JMD 581

$3.55 JMD 556

4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 JMD 259

$1.00 JMD 156

65.00%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 544

$3.48 JMD 545

-0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 JMD 1,808

$11.36 JMD 1,780

1.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 JMD 1,007

$6.46 JMD 1,012

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.27 JMD 1,609

$9.35 JMD 1,465

9.84%

Apples (1kg)

$6.12 JMD 960

$6.05 JMD 948

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.93 JMD 616

$3.94 JMD 618

-0.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.22 JMD 1,131

$2.93 JMD 460

146.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 487

$3.00 JMD 470

3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 JMD 521

$3.18 JMD 498

4.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 429

$2.60 JMD 407

5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 470

$1.57 JMD 247

91.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 237

$1.24 JMD 195

21.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.58 JMD 1,502

$9.26 JMD 1,451

3.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 JMD 1,785

$11.47 JMD 1,797

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 JMD 461

$2.93 JMD 459

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 JMD 643

$2.16 JMD 338

89.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 JMD 368

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 JMD 8,042

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 JMD 192

$0.99 JMD 156

23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 504

$3.23 JMD 506

-0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 JMD 972

$6.21 JMD 973

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 218

$1.27 JMD 199

9.45%

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

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

-0.75%

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

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

-2.99%

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

$177 JMD 27.7K

$161 JMD 25.3K

9.62%

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

$29.86 JMD 4,680

$29.50 JMD 4,623

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 JMD 8,394

$53.6 JMD 8,401

-0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 JMD 9,343

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 JMD 2,107

$13.54 JMD 2,122

-0.74%

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

$368 JMD 57.6K

$284 JMD 44.6K

29.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,319 JMD 1.3M

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

167.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.65 JMD 3,706

$23.31 JMD 3,654

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.07 JMD 4,870

$32.31 JMD 5,064

-3.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 JMD 12.4K

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 15.9K

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 JMD 34.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 JMD 103.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 JMD 95.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

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 Alexandria: September 15, 2026

Last update for Portmore: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $77.0 in Alexandria vs $62.0 in Portmore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $337 per month, with Portmore 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

Alexandria vs Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria and Portmore differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,054 vs $1,243 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,581 in Alexandria and $1,864 in Portmore 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.

Childcare runs $368 in Alexandria versus $284 in Portmore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $62.0 in Portmore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,054 in Alexandria versus $1,243 in Portmore, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Portmore. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.