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: $1,086 in Portmore versus $1,454 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,829 in Portmore versus $2,432 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,572 in Portmore versus $3,409 in Kingston.

Living in Portmore costs roughly 25% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Portmore is 19% below, Kingston is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 JMD 754

$7.54 JMD 1,186

-36.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,843

$63.3 JMD 9,962

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,413

$8.76 JMD 1,378

2.63%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 691

$4.44 JMD 699

-1.13%

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

$0.63 JMD 99.8

$1.31 JMD 206

-51.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 JMD 85.8

$0.69 JMD 109

-20.29%

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

$3.08 JMD 485

-28.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 JMD 481

$4.32 JMD 680

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 JMD 566

$3.54 JMD 557

1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 JMD 159

$1.61 JMD 253

-37.27%

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 550

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 JMD 1,748

$11.10 JMD 1,745

0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 JMD 984

$6.50 JMD 1,022

-3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,177

$7.79 JMD 1,225

-3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 JMD 922

$6.15 JMD 967

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 473

$3.06 JMD 481

-1.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$4.33 JMD 681

-32.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 466

$3.00 JMD 472

-1.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$2.05 JMD 322

-0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.91 JMD 301

1.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$3.13 JMD 492

-49.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.45 JMD 228

-14.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.96 JMD 1,409

$9.00 JMD 1,416

-0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,814

$11.59 JMD 1,823

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 447

$2.86 JMD 449

-0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 334

$3.08 JMD 485

-30.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 JMD 240

$0.89 JMD 140

70.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 JMD 9,958

$49.88 JMD 7,844

26.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

$1.08 JMD 170

-14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

$3.16 JMD 497

0.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 993

$6.17 JMD 971

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.24 JMD 195

-12.90%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-0.42%

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

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

-1.29%

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

$155 JMD 24.4K

$165 JMD 25.9K

-5.80%

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

$21.91 JMD 3,446

$21.76 JMD 3,422

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$51.9 JMD 8,162

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.47 JMD 2,433

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

$13.21 JMD 2,078

1.29%

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

$226 JMD 35.5K

$228 JMD 35.9K

-0.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

$2,456 JMD 386.2K

2.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 JMD 4,123

$26.42 JMD 4,156

-0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 JMD 4,090

$25.61 JMD 4,028

1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 JMD 49.9K

$886 JMD 139.4K

-64.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 JMD 34.3K

$446 JMD 70.2K

-51.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 JMD 104.2K

$1,996 JMD 313.9K

-66.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 JMD 93.9K

$1,214 JMD 190.8K

-50.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

$2,824 JMD 444.1K

175.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

$2,167 JMD 340.8K

171.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

$754 JMD 118.6K

71.67%

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 Kingston: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Portmore and $886 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmore pays 72% 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 $318 vs $353 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 34% 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.

Portmore pays 72% more on average, 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: $317 in Portmore versus $886 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Portmore versus $228 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,086 in Portmore versus $1,454 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 34% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.