Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,086 in Portmore versus $872 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,829 in Portmore versus $1,427 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,572 in Portmore versus $1,982 in Alexandria.

Living in Portmore is roughly 25% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portmore 19% lower, Alexandria 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 JMD 754

$7.58 JMD 1,193

-36.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,843

$63.0 JMD 9,900

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,413

$8.53 JMD 1,341

5.39%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 691

$4.45 JMD 700

-1.35%

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

$0.63 JMD 99.8

$1.36 JMD 214

-53.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 JMD 85.8

$0.75 JMD 118

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 JMD 303

$2.57 JMD 404

-24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 JMD 348

$3.20 JMD 503

-30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 JMD 481

$4.36 JMD 686

-29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 JMD 566

$3.47 JMD 545

3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 JMD 159

$1.63 JMD 257

-38.04%

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 550

$3.60 JMD 566

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 JMD 1,748

$10.99 JMD 1,728

1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 JMD 984

$6.45 JMD 1,014

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,177

$7.56 JMD 1,189

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 JMD 922

$5.98 JMD 941

-2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 473

$3.09 JMD 486

-2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$4.25 JMD 668

-31.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 466

$2.93 JMD 461

1.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$2.00 JMD 315

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.93 JMD 303

0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$3.00 JMD 471

-47.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.44 JMD 227

-13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.96 JMD 1,409

$8.87 JMD 1,395

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,814

$11.58 JMD 1,821

-0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 447

$2.88 JMD 453

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 334

$3.17 JMD 498

-32.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 JMD 240

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 JMD 9,958

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

$1.12 JMD 176

-17.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 993

$6.32 JMD 995

-0.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.27 JMD 200

-14.96%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-2.43%

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

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-1.79%

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

$155 JMD 24.4K

$165 JMD 25.9K

-5.77%

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

$21.91 JMD 3,446

$22.41 JMD 3,524

-2.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$51.1 JMD 8,043

-1.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

$13.35 JMD 2,100

0.22%

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

$226 JMD 35.5K

$229 JMD 36.0K

-1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

$2,491 JMD 391.7K

0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 JMD 4,123

$26.28 JMD 4,132

-0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 JMD 4,090

$25.90 JMD 4,074

0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$70.2 JMD 11.0K

3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

$77.0 JMD 12.1K

-1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 JMD 49.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 JMD 34.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 JMD 104.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 JMD 93.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

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 Portmore: June 7, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Portmore vs $63.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $350 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

Portmore vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portmore and Alexandria differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,086 vs $872 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,629 in Portmore and $1,308 in Alexandria 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.

Childcare runs $226 in Portmore versus $229 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $63.0 in Portmore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $872 in Alexandria versus $1,086 in Portmore, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Portmore. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.