🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Portmore versus $1,471 in Kingston.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Portmore versus $2,446 in Kingston.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,594 in Portmore versus $3,420 in Kingston.
🙂Living in Portmore costs roughly 24% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Portmore is 17% below, Kingston is 10% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.82JMD 759
$7.30JMD 1,150
-33.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.9JMD 9,912
$62.8JMD 9,889
0.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.78JMD 1,384
$8.99JMD 1,416
-2.34%
Cappuccino
$4.23JMD 667
$4.36JMD 686
-2.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69JMD 108
$1.36JMD 214
-49.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50JMD 79.1
$0.75JMD 118
-33.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.85JMD 292
$2.47JMD 388
-25.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23JMD 351
$3.20JMD 503
-30.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$3.05JMD 481
$4.41JMD 695
-30.84%
White Bread(500g)
$3.63JMD 572
$3.58JMD 565
1.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.99JMD 156
$1.61JMD 254
-38.51%
Eggs
$3.53JMD 556
$3.55JMD 559
-0.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.18JMD 1,761
$11.14JMD 1,754
0.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.44JMD 1,014
$6.45JMD 1,016
-0.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.50JMD 1,182
$7.54JMD 1,188
-0.53%
Apples(1kg)
$5.99JMD 943
$6.15JMD 968
-2.60%
Banana(1kg)
$3.11JMD 489
$3.03JMD 477
2.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.95JMD 465
$4.14JMD 652
-28.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.06JMD 482
$2.96JMD 466
3.38%
Potato(1kg)
$2.01JMD 316
$2.10JMD 331
-4.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99JMD 314
$1.91JMD 301
4.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.59JMD 250
$3.07JMD 484
-48.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28JMD 201
$1.45JMD 228
-11.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.71JMD 1,372
$8.70JMD 1,371
0.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.49JMD 1,809
$11.41JMD 1,796
0.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84JMD 448
$2.91JMD 458
-2.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26JMD 355
$3.07JMD 483
-26.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.60JMD 253
$0.88JMD 138
81.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$62.9JMD 9,911
$49.34JMD 7,771
27.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.91JMD 144
$1.13JMD 177
-19.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.25JMD 511
$3.25JMD 512
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.29JMD 991
$6.08JMD 957
3.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.08JMD 171
$1.28JMD 201
-15.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.7KJMD 6.7M
$43.4KJMD 6.8M
-1.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8KJMD 5.3M
$33.2KJMD 5.2M
1.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$156JMD 24.5K
$163JMD 25.6K
-4.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.40JMD 3,527
$22.50JMD 3,543
-0.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.8JMD 8,151
$51.1JMD 8,051
1.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$69.8JMD 11.0K
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.48JMD 2,438
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.17JMD 2,074
$13.13JMD 2,068
0.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224JMD 35.3K
$228JMD 36.0K
-1.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,479JMD 390.5K
$2,527JMD 398.0K
-1.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.93JMD 4,084
$26.50JMD 4,174
-2.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.32JMD 3,988
$25.86JMD 4,073
-2.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.7JMD 11.0K
$71.8JMD 11.3K
-2.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.9JMD 11.8K
$77.6JMD 12.2K
-3.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$314JMD 49.5K
$877JMD 138.1K
-64.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$215JMD 33.9K
$449JMD 70.7K
-51.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$646JMD 101.7K
$2,018JMD 317.8K
-67.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$598JMD 94.1K
$1,213JMD 191.0K
-50.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,724JMD 1.2M
$2,865JMD 451.2K
169.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,745JMD 904.8K
$2,208JMD 347.7K
160.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Portmore
Kingston
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,267JMD 199.5K
$734JMD 115.6K
72.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
9.15
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Portmore: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Kingston: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $314 in Portmore and $877 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Portmore pays 73% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $63.0 in Portmore vs $63.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $353 per month, with Portmore cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Portmore vs Kingston: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Portmore or Kingston?
Portmore wins on cost – living expenses run 32% 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.
Are salaries higher in Portmore or Kingston?
Portmore pays 73% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Portmore vs Kingston?
Rent for a central apartment: $314 in Portmore versus $877 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Portmore and Kingston?
Childcare runs $224 in Portmore versus $228 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Portmore or Kingston?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Portmore or Kingston?
At $1,112 in Portmore versus $1,471 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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Portmore or Kingston?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Portmore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Portmore vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado