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: $1,471 in Kingston versus $711 in Old Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Kingston versus $1,166 in Old Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,420 in Kingston versus $1,621 in Old Harbour.

Living in Kingston is roughly 107% more expensive than 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

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$6.21 JMD 976

17.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,862

$31.39 JMD 4,930

100.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,412

$4.97 JMD 780

80.89%

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 684

$4.24 JMD 666

2.83%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$0.97 JMD 152

40.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.60 JMD 94.7

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 387

$2.53 JMD 397

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$3.06 JMD 481

4.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.41 JMD 693

$4.34 JMD 682

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 JMD 563

$3.65 JMD 573

-1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 253

$1.63 JMD 257

-1.23%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 558

$3.55 JMD 557

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 JMD 1,750

$3.43 JMD 538

224.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,014

$6.27 JMD 985

2.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 JMD 1,185

$7.74 JMD 1,216

-2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 JMD 966

$6.11 JMD 960

0.65%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 JMD 476

$3.10 JMD 487

-2.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 650

$4.12 JMD 647

0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 464

$2.08 JMD 327

42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$2.02 JMD 317

3.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 300

$1.92 JMD 301

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 483

$3.13 JMD 492

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$1.43 JMD 225

1.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.70 JMD 1,367

$8.58 JMD 1,347

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 JMD 1,791

$11.33 JMD 1,780

0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 456

$2.87 JMD 450

1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 482

$3.15 JMD 495

-2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 JMD 138

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.34 JMD 7,750

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 177

$1.09 JMD 171

3.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 510

$3.24 JMD 508

0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 JMD 955

$6.13 JMD 962

-0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 200

$1.07 JMD 169

19.63%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

1.20%

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

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-1.72%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$49.29 JMD 7,741

230.11%

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

$22.50 JMD 3,533

$22.49 JMD 3,532

0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 JMD 8,029

$43.21 JMD 6,786

18.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 JMD 2,431

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 JMD 2,063

$13.26 JMD 2,082

-0.98%

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

$228 JMD 35.9K

$230 JMD 36.1K

-0.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,527 JMD 396.9K

$2,485 JMD 390.2K

1.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.50 JMD 4,163

$25.58 JMD 4,018

3.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 JMD 4,062

$25.78 JMD 4,049

0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 JMD 11.3K

$71.2 JMD 11.2K

0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 JMD 137.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 JMD 70.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,018 JMD 316.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 JMD 190.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,865 JMD 450.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,208 JMD 346.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 JMD 115.2K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: April 26, 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 $353 vs $324 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 107% 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 $2,207 in Kingston and $1,067 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 9% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,471 per month in Kingston versus $711 in Old Harbour – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $711 in Old Harbour versus $1,471 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 107% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.