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: $1,471 in Kingston versus $1,112 in Portmore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Kingston versus $1,853 in Portmore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,420 in Kingston versus $2,594 in Portmore.

Living in Kingston is roughly 32% more expensive than 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

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$4.82 JMD 757

51.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,862

$62.9 JMD 9,885

-0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,412

$8.78 JMD 1,380

2.39%

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 684

$4.23 JMD 665

3.07%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$0.69 JMD 108

97.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.50 JMD 78.8

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 387

$1.85 JMD 291

33.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$2.23 JMD 350

43.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.41 JMD 693

$3.05 JMD 479

44.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 JMD 563

$3.63 JMD 571

-1.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 253

$0.99 JMD 155

62.63%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 558

$3.53 JMD 554

0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 JMD 1,750

$11.18 JMD 1,757

-0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,014

$6.44 JMD 1,011

0.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 JMD 1,185

$7.50 JMD 1,178

0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 JMD 966

$5.99 JMD 941

2.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 JMD 476

$3.11 JMD 488

-2.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 650

$2.95 JMD 464

40.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 464

$3.06 JMD 481

-3.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$2.01 JMD 315

4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 300

$1.99 JMD 313

-4.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 483

$1.59 JMD 250

93.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$1.28 JMD 201

13.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.70 JMD 1,367

$8.71 JMD 1,368

-0.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 JMD 1,791

$11.49 JMD 1,804

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 456

$2.84 JMD 446

2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 482

$2.26 JMD 354

35.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 JMD 138

$1.60 JMD 252

-45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.34 JMD 7,750

$62.9 JMD 9,884

-21.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 177

$0.91 JMD 143

24.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 510

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 JMD 955

$6.29 JMD 988

-3.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 200

$1.08 JMD 170

18.52%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

1.51%

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

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-1.66%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$156 JMD 24.5K

4.49%

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

$22.50 JMD 3,533

$22.40 JMD 3,518

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 JMD 8,029

$51.8 JMD 8,129

-1.24%

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

$13.17 JMD 2,068

-0.30%

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

$228 JMD 35.9K

$224 JMD 35.2K

1.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,527 JMD 396.9K

$2,479 JMD 389.4K

1.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.50 JMD 4,163

$25.93 JMD 4,073

2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 JMD 4,062

$25.32 JMD 3,977

2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 JMD 11.3K

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 JMD 137.7K

$314 JMD 49.4K

178.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 JMD 70.5K

$215 JMD 33.8K

108.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,018 JMD 316.9K

$646 JMD 101.5K

212.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 JMD 190.5K

$598 JMD 93.8K

102.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,865 JMD 450.0K

$7,724 JMD 1.2M

-62.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,208 JMD 346.7K

$5,745 JMD 902.3K

-61.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 JMD 115.2K

$1,267 JMD 199.0K

-42.09%

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 Portmore: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $877 in Kingston and $314 in Portmore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmore pays 73% 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 $63.0 in Portmore. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $322, with Portmore cheaper for home cooking.

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, Portmore earns 73% less. 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: $877 in Kingston versus $314 in Portmore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $228 in Kingston versus $224 in Portmore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,112 in Portmore versus $1,471 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.