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: $1,243 in Portmore versus $1,054 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,094 in Portmore versus $1,700 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,944 in Portmore versus $2,346 in Alexandria.

Living in Portmore is roughly 18% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portmore 9% lower, Alexandria 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.22 JMD 1,602

$15.67 JMD 2,456

-34.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.2 JMD 9,744

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

-19.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 JMD 1,408

$8.79 JMD 1,378

2.16%

Cappuccino

$5.19 JMD 814

$5.46 JMD 856

-4.95%

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

$0.92 JMD 144

$1.19 JMD 187

-22.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 JMD 102

$0.73 JMD 114

-10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

$2.27 JMD 355

-4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 341

$3.22 JMD 505

-32.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 486

$4.25 JMD 665

-27.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 556

$3.71 JMD 581

-4.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 JMD 156

$1.65 JMD 259

-39.39%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 545

$3.47 JMD 544

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 JMD 1,780

$11.54 JMD 1,808

-1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,012

$6.43 JMD 1,007

0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 JMD 1,465

$10.27 JMD 1,609

-8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 948

$6.12 JMD 960

-1.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.94 JMD 618

$3.93 JMD 616

0.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 460

$7.22 JMD 1,131

-59.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 470

$3.11 JMD 487

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 JMD 498

$3.32 JMD 521

-4.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 JMD 407

$2.74 JMD 429

-5.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 JMD 247

$3.00 JMD 470

-47.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.51 JMD 237

-17.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 JMD 1,451

$9.58 JMD 1,502

-3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,797

$11.39 JMD 1,785

0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 JMD 459

$2.94 JMD 461

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 338

$4.10 JMD 643

-47.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 JMD 368

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 JMD 8,042

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 JMD 156

$1.22 JMD 192

-18.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 506

$3.22 JMD 504

0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 JMD 973

$6.21 JMD 972

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 JMD 199

$1.39 JMD 218

-8.63%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

0.75%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

3.09%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$177 JMD 27.7K

-8.78%

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

$29.50 JMD 4,623

$29.86 JMD 4,680

-1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 JMD 8,401

$53.6 JMD 8,394

0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 JMD 9,343

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 JMD 2,122

$13.44 JMD 2,107

0.74%

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

$284 JMD 44.6K

$368 JMD 57.6K

-22.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

$8,319 JMD 1.3M

-62.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.31 JMD 3,654

$23.65 JMD 3,706

-1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 JMD 5,064

$31.07 JMD 4,870

3.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

$78.8 JMD 12.4K

-1.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

$102 JMD 15.9K

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 JMD 34.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 JMD 103.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 JMD 95.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

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 Portmore: September 15, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Portmore vs $77.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $388 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,243 vs $1,054 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,864 in Portmore and $1,581 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 $284 in Portmore versus $368 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 $77.0 versus $62.0 in Portmore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,054 in Alexandria versus $1,243 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 18% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.