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: $1,702 in Kingston versus $1,049 in Old Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Kingston versus $1,719 in Old Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Kingston versus $2,389 in Old Harbour.

Living in Kingston is roughly 62% more expensive than in Old Harbour, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 23% above, Old Harbour is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.79 JMD 2,481

$15.53 JMD 2,439

1.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$75.4 JMD 11.8K

0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,345

$8.77 JMD 1,378

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$5.40 JMD 848

$5.38 JMD 845

0.37%

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

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.19 JMD 188

4.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 109

$0.74 JMD 116

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.15 JMD 338

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$3.09 JMD 486

2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.25 JMD 667

$4.21 JMD 661

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$3.74 JMD 588

-1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.64 JMD 258

-1.22%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 540

$3.48 JMD 546

-1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 JMD 1,822

$11.40 JMD 1,790

1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

$6.37 JMD 1,001

0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$10.21 JMD 1,604

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 967

$5.91 JMD 929

4.23%

Banana (1kg)

$4.00 JMD 629

$3.91 JMD 615

2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$7.30 JMD 1,146

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 JMD 467

$3.09 JMD 486

-3.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 JMD 511

$3.17 JMD 497

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 JMD 424

$2.60 JMD 408

3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.04 JMD 477

3.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 233

$1.52 JMD 239

-1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 JMD 1,440

$9.74 JMD 1,530

-5.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$11.56 JMD 1,816

-3.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 442

$2.82 JMD 443

-0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 JMD 621

$3.95 JMD 620

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 127

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 JMD 5,946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.17 JMD 184

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 486

$3.08 JMD 483

0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 JMD 979

$6.30 JMD 989

-1.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 218

$1.36 JMD 214

2.21%

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

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

$44.1K JMD 6.9M

0.95%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$32.2K JMD 5.1M

2.13%

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

$178 JMD 28.0K

$174 JMD 27.3K

2.52%

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

$29.81 JMD 4,682

$29.76 JMD 4,675

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 JMD 8,241

$52.5 JMD 8,245

-0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 JMD 9,598

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.79 JMD 2,794

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 JMD 2,065

$13.54 JMD 2,127

-2.88%

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

$357 JMD 56.1K

$356 JMD 55.9K

0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

$8,127 JMD 1.3M

0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.41 JMD 3,678

$24.18 JMD 3,797

-3.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 JMD 4,919

$32.24 JMD 5,064

-2.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

-0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$104 JMD 16.4K

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 JMD 150.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 JMD 337.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 JMD 224.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,887 JMD 453.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 JMD 328.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 JMD 116.9K

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 Kingston: September 5, 2026

Last update for Old Harbour: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $76.0 in Kingston vs $75.0 in Old Harbour for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $385 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 62% 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 $2,554 in Kingston and $1,573 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 0% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,702 per month in Kingston versus $1,049 in Old Harbour – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,049 in Old Harbour versus $1,702 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 62% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.