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: $1,454 in Kingston versus $706 in Old Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,432 in Kingston versus $1,148 in Old Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,409 in Kingston versus $1,589 in Old Harbour.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 8% above, Old Harbour is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

$6.28 JMD 988

20.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 JMD 9,962

$31.93 JMD 5,022

98.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 JMD 1,378

$5.11 JMD 804

71.43%

Cappuccino

$4.44 JMD 699

$4.33 JMD 681

2.54%

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

$1.31 JMD 206

$0.97 JMD 153

35.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 JMD 109

$0.65 JMD 103

6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 404

$2.52 JMD 397

1.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 485

$3.12 JMD 490

-1.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.32 JMD 680

$4.21 JMD 661

2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 JMD 557

$3.64 JMD 572

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 253

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 550

$3.55 JMD 558

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 JMD 1,745

$3.55 JMD 558

212.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JMD 1,022

$6.48 JMD 1,019

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 JMD 1,225

$7.75 JMD 1,219

0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 JMD 967

$6.04 JMD 950

1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.98 JMD 469

2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 JMD 681

$4.25 JMD 668

1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 472

$2.02 JMD 318

48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 JMD 322

$2.12 JMD 333

-3.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 301

$1.94 JMD 305

-1.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 492

$3.10 JMD 487

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$1.45 JMD 229

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 JMD 1,416

$8.80 JMD 1,384

2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 JMD 1,823

$11.49 JMD 1,807

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 JMD 449

$2.80 JMD 441

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 485

$3.07 JMD 484

0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.88 JMD 7,844

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 JMD 170

$1.09 JMD 171

-0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 497

$3.24 JMD 509

-2.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 JMD 971

$6.34 JMD 998

-2.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.07 JMD 168

15.89%

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

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-2.15%

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

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

0.53%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$51.1 JMD 8,032

222.34%

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

$21.76 JMD 3,422

$22.20 JMD 3,491

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 JMD 8,162

$43.35 JMD 6,818

19.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.47 JMD 2,433

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,078

$13.39 JMD 2,105

-1.34%

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

$228 JMD 35.9K

$226 JMD 35.6K

0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,456 JMD 386.2K

$2,512 JMD 395.0K

-2.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.42 JMD 4,156

$26.04 JMD 4,095

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.61 JMD 4,028

$26.00 JMD 4,089

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$70.7 JMD 11.1K

-1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 139.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 JMD 70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 JMD 313.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 JMD 190.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,824 JMD 444.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,167 JMD 340.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 JMD 118.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Kingston vs $32.00 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 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 $2,180 in Kingston and $1,059 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 $1,454 per month in Kingston versus $706 in Old Harbour – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $706 in Old Harbour versus $1,454 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.