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: $1,706 in Kingston versus $1,243 in Portmore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Kingston versus $2,094 in Portmore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,988 in Kingston versus $2,944 in Portmore.

Living in Kingston is roughly 37% more expensive than in Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 25% above, Portmore is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 JMD 2,506

$10.22 JMD 1,602

56.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 JMD 11.8K

$62.2 JMD 9,744

21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 JMD 1,358

$8.98 JMD 1,408

-3.56%

Cappuccino

$5.31 JMD 832

$5.19 JMD 814

2.31%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$0.92 JMD 144

30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 JMD 106

$0.65 JMD 102

3.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 JMD 343

$2.17 JMD 341

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$2.18 JMD 341

46.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.10 JMD 642

$3.10 JMD 486

32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 JMD 609

$3.55 JMD 556

9.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 249

$1.00 JMD 156

59.00%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 556

$3.48 JMD 545

2.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 JMD 1,830

$11.36 JMD 1,780

2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,010

$6.46 JMD 1,012

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 JMD 1,605

$9.35 JMD 1,465

9.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 969

$6.05 JMD 948

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.87 JMD 607

$3.94 JMD 618

-1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,175

$2.93 JMD 460

155.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 481

$3.00 JMD 470

2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 528

$3.18 JMD 498

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 JMD 427

$2.60 JMD 407

4.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 489

$1.57 JMD 247

98.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$1.24 JMD 195

22.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.54 JMD 1,495

$9.26 JMD 1,451

3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 JMD 1,791

$11.47 JMD 1,797

-0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 439

$2.93 JMD 459

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 641

$2.16 JMD 338

89.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 JMD 119

$2.35 JMD 368

-67.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.96 JMD 5,949

$51.3 JMD 8,042

-26.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 183

$0.99 JMD 156

18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 503

$3.23 JMD 506

-0.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 JMD 980

$6.21 JMD 973

0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 222

$1.27 JMD 199

11.81%

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

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

-0.76%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

-1.27%

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

$172 JMD 27.0K

$161 JMD 25.3K

6.91%

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

$29.30 JMD 4,592

$29.50 JMD 4,623

-0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 JMD 8,167

$53.6 JMD 8,401

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 JMD 9,658

$59.6 JMD 9,343

3.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 JMD 2,841

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,068

$13.54 JMD 2,122

-2.58%

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

$362 JMD 56.7K

$284 JMD 44.6K

27.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,377 JMD 1.3M

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

169.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 JMD 3,681

$23.31 JMD 3,654

0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 JMD 5,037

$32.31 JMD 5,064

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 JMD 12.5K

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

2.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 JMD 153.8K

$313 JMD 49.1K

213.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 JMD 88.7K

$219 JMD 34.3K

159.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 JMD 333.8K

$659 JMD 103.2K

223.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 JMD 216.8K

$607 JMD 95.1K

127.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,880 JMD 451.3K

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

-61.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,071 JMD 324.5K

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

-64.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 JMD 115.8K

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

-42.89%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Portmore: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Kingston and $313 in Portmore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmore pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Kingston vs $62.0 in Portmore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $337 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 37% 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 75% 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: $981 in Kingston versus $313 in Portmore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $362 in Kingston versus $284 in Portmore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,243 in Portmore versus $1,706 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 37% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.