Cost of Living Comparison Between Old Harbour and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Old Harbour and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Old Harbour versus $1,684 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,693 in Old Harbour versus $2,889 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,371 in Old Harbour versus $4,093 in Kingston.

Living in Old Harbour costs roughly 40% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Old Harbour is 26% below, Kingston is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 JMD 2,538

$15.95 JMD 2,513

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 JMD 11.9K

$74.4 JMD 11.7K

1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 JMD 1,426

$8.81 JMD 1,388

2.72%

Cappuccino

$5.24 JMD 826

$5.22 JMD 823

0.38%

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

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.19 JMD 188

4.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 JMD 108

$0.69 JMD 109

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 JMD 354

$2.19 JMD 345

2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 JMD 511

$3.08 JMD 486

5.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 664

$4.06 JMD 639

3.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 JMD 581

$3.74 JMD 589

-1.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 256

$1.66 JMD 261

-1.81%

Eggs

$3.49 JMD 549

$3.61 JMD 570

-3.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 JMD 1,835

$11.58 JMD 1,826

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,014

$6.19 JMD 975

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.27 JMD 1,619

$10.12 JMD 1,595

1.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 JMD 982

$6.12 JMD 964

1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.84 JMD 606

$3.99 JMD 629

-3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.39 JMD 1,165

$7.48 JMD 1,179

-1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 488

$3.11 JMD 491

-0.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 JMD 502

$3.23 JMD 510

-1.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 JMD 427

$2.64 JMD 416

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 JMD 476

$3.01 JMD 474

0.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 226

$1.46 JMD 231

-1.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 JMD 1,473

$9.74 JMD 1,534

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,811

$11.32 JMD 1,785

1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 455

$2.78 JMD 439

3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 JMD 612

$3.96 JMD 625

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.60 JMD 6,082

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 JMD 186

$1.23 JMD 193

-4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 JMD 485

$3.14 JMD 496

-1.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 JMD 1,017

$6.15 JMD 970

4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.36 JMD 215

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

$44.3K JMD 7.0M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

1.48%

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

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

3.37%

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

$175 JMD 27.6K

$172 JMD 27.1K

1.94%

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

$30.10 JMD 4,744

$29.66 JMD 4,675

1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 JMD 8,229

$52.5 JMD 8,278

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.6 JMD 9,862

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 JMD 2,827

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 JMD 2,086

$13.35 JMD 2,103

-0.82%

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

$356 JMD 56.1K

$367 JMD 57.8K

-2.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,218 JMD 1.3M

$8,302 JMD 1.3M

-1.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.75 JMD 3,743

$23.88 JMD 3,764

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 JMD 5,072

$31.86 JMD 5,020

1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 JMD 12.3K

$79.2 JMD 12.5K

-1.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 JMD 16.3K

$102 JMD 16.1K

1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$972 JMD 153.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 JMD 333.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 JMD 226.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,902 JMD 457.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,054 JMD 323.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 JMD 119.3K

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 Old Harbour: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kingston: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $75.0 in Old Harbour vs $74.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $384 per month, with Kingston 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

Old Harbour vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Old Harbour wins on cost – living expenses run 66% 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 $1,523 in Old Harbour and $2,526 in Kingston 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.

Shoppers in Kingston pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,015 per month in Old Harbour versus $1,684 in Kingston – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,015 in Old Harbour versus $1,684 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 66% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.