Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,243 in Portmore versus $1,706 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,094 in Portmore versus $2,847 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,944 in Portmore versus $3,988 in Kingston.

Living in Portmore costs roughly 27% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Portmore is 9% below, Kingston is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.22 JMD 1,602

$15.99 JMD 2,506

-36.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.2 JMD 9,744

$75.5 JMD 11.8K

-17.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 JMD 1,408

$8.66 JMD 1,358

3.70%

Cappuccino

$5.19 JMD 814

$5.31 JMD 832

-2.26%

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

$0.92 JMD 144

$1.20 JMD 188

-23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 JMD 102

$0.67 JMD 106

-2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

$2.19 JMD 343

-0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 341

$3.20 JMD 502

-31.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 486

$4.10 JMD 642

-24.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 556

$3.89 JMD 609

-8.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 JMD 156

$1.59 JMD 249

-37.11%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 545

$3.55 JMD 556

-1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 JMD 1,780

$11.67 JMD 1,830

-2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,012

$6.44 JMD 1,010

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 JMD 1,465

$10.24 JMD 1,605

-8.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 948

$6.18 JMD 969

-2.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.94 JMD 618

$3.87 JMD 607

1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 460

$7.50 JMD 1,175

-60.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 470

$3.07 JMD 481

-2.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 JMD 498

$3.37 JMD 528

-5.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 JMD 407

$2.72 JMD 427

-4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 JMD 247

$3.12 JMD 489

-49.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.52 JMD 239

-18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 JMD 1,451

$9.54 JMD 1,495

-2.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,797

$11.43 JMD 1,791

0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 JMD 459

$2.80 JMD 439

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 338

$4.09 JMD 641

-47.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 JMD 368

$0.76 JMD 119

209.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 JMD 8,042

$37.96 JMD 5,949

35.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 JMD 156

$1.17 JMD 183

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 506

$3.21 JMD 503

0.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 JMD 973

$6.25 JMD 980

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 JMD 199

$1.42 JMD 222

-10.56%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

0.77%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

1.29%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$172 JMD 27.0K

-6.47%

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

$29.50 JMD 4,623

$29.30 JMD 4,592

0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 JMD 8,401

$52.1 JMD 8,167

2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 JMD 9,343

$61.6 JMD 9,658

-3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 JMD 2,841

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 JMD 2,122

$13.19 JMD 2,068

2.65%

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

$284 JMD 44.6K

$362 JMD 56.7K

-21.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

$8,377 JMD 1.3M

-62.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.31 JMD 3,654

$23.49 JMD 3,681

-0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 JMD 5,064

$32.14 JMD 5,037

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

$79.8 JMD 12.5K

-2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

$102 JMD 16.0K

-7.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.1K

$981 JMD 153.8K

-68.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 JMD 34.3K

$566 JMD 88.7K

-61.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 JMD 103.2K

$2,130 JMD 333.8K

-69.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 JMD 95.1K

$1,384 JMD 216.8K

-56.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

$2,880 JMD 451.3K

162.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

$2,071 JMD 324.5K

178.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

$739 JMD 115.8K

75.11%

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 Kingston: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Portmore and $981 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmore pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Portmore vs $75.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $389 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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portmore wins on cost – living expenses run 37% 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.

Average pay runs 75% higher in Portmore, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Portmore versus $981 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $284 in Portmore versus $362 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,243 in Portmore versus $1,706 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 37% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.