Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Portmore Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Portmore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,459 in Kingston versus $1,102 in Portmore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,444 in Kingston versus $1,849 in Portmore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Kingston versus $2,595 in Portmore.

Living in Kingston is roughly 32% more expensive than in Portmore, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 10% above, Portmore is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 JMD 1,190

$4.80 JMD 755

57.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 JMD 9,928

$62.4 JMD 9,810

1.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 JMD 1,407

$8.68 JMD 1,365

3.11%

Cappuccino

$4.46 JMD 702

$4.41 JMD 693

1.13%

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

$1.37 JMD 215

$0.63 JMD 98.7

117.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 117

$0.50 JMD 78.9

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

$1.84 JMD 289

32.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 JMD 494

$2.25 JMD 354

39.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.18 JMD 657

$3.10 JMD 487

34.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 JMD 557

$3.55 JMD 558

-0.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 243

$1.02 JMD 160

50.98%

Eggs

$3.52 JMD 553

$3.58 JMD 563

-1.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 JMD 1,735

$10.86 JMD 1,707

1.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 JMD 1,019

$6.19 JMD 973

4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 JMD 1,227

$7.48 JMD 1,175

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 JMD 936

$5.91 JMD 929

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$2.99 JMD 470

5.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 JMD 681

$2.88 JMD 453

50.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 JMD 459

$3.04 JMD 478

-3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 328

$2.10 JMD 330

-0.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 318

$1.92 JMD 302

5.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 467

$1.52 JMD 239

95.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$1.27 JMD 200

13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.72 JMD 1,371

$8.66 JMD 1,361

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,775

$11.16 JMD 1,754

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 437

$2.80 JMD 440

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 495

$2.13 JMD 335

47.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 JMD 129

$1.59 JMD 250

-48.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.33 JMD 7,755

$63.4 JMD 9,968

-22.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$0.93 JMD 146

15.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 502

$3.22 JMD 507

-0.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 JMD 1,004

$6.43 JMD 1,011

-0.62%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

0.74%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

1.32%

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

$164 JMD 25.7K

$156 JMD 24.6K

4.65%

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

$21.77 JMD 3,422

$21.70 JMD 3,411

0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 JMD 8,127

$51.4 JMD 8,082

0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 JMD 2,504

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,048

$13.24 JMD 2,081

-1.59%

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

$223 JMD 35.0K

$227 JMD 35.6K

-1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 394.8K

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

2.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.87 JMD 4,066

$25.67 JMD 4,035

0.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 JMD 3,993

$26.00 JMD 4,087

-2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

-2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

-1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 JMD 142.9K

$310 JMD 48.8K

192.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 72.8K

$223 JMD 35.0K

107.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 JMD 318.8K

$661 JMD 103.9K

206.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 JMD 184.5K

$583 JMD 91.7K

101.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 JMD 437.6K

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

-63.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,164 JMD 340.1K

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

-63.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 JMD 115.2K

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

-44.16%

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 Portmore: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $909 in Kingston and $310 in Portmore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmore pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Kingston vs $62.0 in Portmore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $317 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

Kingston vs Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portmore wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Portmore the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Portmore. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $909 in Kingston versus $310 in Portmore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Kingston versus $227 in Portmore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,102 in Portmore versus $1,459 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Portmore but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Portmore 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 Portmore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.