Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Old Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Old Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,459 in Kingston versus $710 in Old Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,444 in Kingston versus $1,170 in Old Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Kingston versus $1,630 in Old Harbour.

Living in Kingston is roughly 106% more expensive than in Old Harbour, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 10% above, Old Harbour is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 JMD 1,191

$6.28 JMD 988

20.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 JMD 9,935

$30.89 JMD 4,858

104.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 JMD 1,408

$5.13 JMD 806

74.46%

Cappuccino

$4.46 JMD 702

$4.33 JMD 680

3.00%

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

$1.37 JMD 215

$0.90 JMD 141

52.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.61 JMD 96.3

22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$2.43 JMD 382

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 JMD 494

$3.17 JMD 499

-0.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.18 JMD 658

$4.33 JMD 681

-3.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 JMD 557

$3.53 JMD 555

0.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 243

$1.62 JMD 255

-4.94%

Eggs

$3.52 JMD 554

$3.48 JMD 548

1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 JMD 1,736

$3.48 JMD 548

217.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 JMD 1,019

$6.51 JMD 1,025

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 JMD 1,228

$7.53 JMD 1,184

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 JMD 936

$5.85 JMD 920

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$3.05 JMD 479

2.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 JMD 681

$4.30 JMD 676

0.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 JMD 459

$2.12 JMD 333

37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 328

$2.02 JMD 318

3.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 318

$1.94 JMD 305

4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 467

$2.99 JMD 471

-0.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$1.45 JMD 228

-0.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.72 JMD 1,371

$8.85 JMD 1,392

-1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,776

$11.56 JMD 1,818

-2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$2.76 JMD 435

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 496

$3.10 JMD 488

1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 JMD 129

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.33 JMD 7,760

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$1.12 JMD 176

-4.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 503

$3.28 JMD 515

-2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 JMD 1,005

$6.20 JMD 975

3.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.09 JMD 171

12.84%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$42.9K JMD 6.7M

-0.41%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.4M

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

2.67%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$49.51 JMD 7,788

230.70%

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

$21.77 JMD 3,424

$21.97 JMD 3,455

-0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 JMD 8,132

$44.48 JMD 6,997

16.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 JMD 2,506

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,049

$13.23 JMD 2,081

-1.51%

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

$223 JMD 35.0K

$225 JMD 35.4K

-1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 395.1K

$2,493 JMD 392.2K

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.87 JMD 4,069

$26.25 JMD 4,129

-1.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 JMD 3,996

$25.31 JMD 3,980

0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

-1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 JMD 143.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 72.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 JMD 319.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 JMD 184.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 JMD 437.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,164 JMD 340.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 JMD 115.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Kingston: July 26, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Kingston vs $31.00 in Old Harbour for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $322 per month, with Old Harbour 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

Kingston vs Old Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Old Harbour wins on cost – living expenses run 106% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Old Harbour the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,188 in Kingston and $1,065 in Old Harbour 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 8% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,459 per month in Kingston versus $710 in Old Harbour – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $710 in Old Harbour versus $1,459 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Old Harbour but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Old Harbour 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 Old Harbour gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.