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: $1,112 in Portmore versus $899 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Portmore versus $1,425 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,594 in Portmore versus $1,952 in Alexandria.

Living in Portmore is roughly 24% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portmore 17% lower, Alexandria 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 JMD 757

$7.67 JMD 1,205

-37.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 JMD 9,885

$62.9 JMD 9,881

0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,380

$8.56 JMD 1,344

2.57%

Cappuccino

$4.23 JMD 665

$4.37 JMD 687

-3.20%

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

$0.69 JMD 108

$1.38 JMD 216

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.8

$0.72 JMD 113

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 JMD 291

$2.55 JMD 400

-27.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 JMD 350

$3.04 JMD 477

-26.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 JMD 479

$4.35 JMD 683

-29.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 571

$3.62 JMD 569

0.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 JMD 155

$1.55 JMD 243

-36.13%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$3.57 JMD 561

-1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 JMD 1,757

$10.93 JMD 1,716

2.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,011

$6.30 JMD 989

2.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,178

$7.61 JMD 1,195

-1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 941

$6.10 JMD 958

-1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 488

$3.13 JMD 492

-0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 464

$4.15 JMD 652

-28.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.90 JMD 455

5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$2.04 JMD 320

-1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 JMD 313

$1.98 JMD 311

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$3.10 JMD 486

-48.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.49 JMD 234

-14.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 JMD 1,368

$8.64 JMD 1,357

0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,804

$11.36 JMD 1,784

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 446

$2.75 JMD 431

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 JMD 354

$3.18 JMD 500

-28.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 JMD 252

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 JMD 9,884

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

$1.08 JMD 169

-15.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 510

$3.10 JMD 486

4.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 JMD 988

$6.09 JMD 957

3.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 170

$1.28 JMD 201

-15.62%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

1.21%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-0.74%

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

$156 JMD 24.5K

$162 JMD 25.4K

-3.83%

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

$22.40 JMD 3,518

$22.32 JMD 3,506

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,129

$50.6 JMD 7,943

2.35%

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,068

$13.19 JMD 2,072

-0.15%

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

$224 JMD 35.2K

$229 JMD 36.0K

-2.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,479 JMD 389.4K

$2,512 JMD 394.6K

-1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.93 JMD 4,073

$26.06 JMD 4,094

-0.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 JMD 3,977

$25.60 JMD 4,021

-1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

$70.2 JMD 11.0K

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

-3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 JMD 49.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 JMD 101.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 JMD 93.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,724 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,745 JMD 902.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,267 JMD 199.0K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: April 26, 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 $322 vs $351 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $899 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,668 in Portmore and $1,348 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 $224 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 $899 in Alexandria versus $1,112 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 24% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.