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: $1,102 in Portmore versus $1,459 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,849 in Portmore versus $2,444 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,595 in Portmore versus $3,429 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.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 JMD 755

$7.57 JMD 1,190

-36.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,810

$63.2 JMD 9,928

-1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,365

$8.95 JMD 1,407

-3.02%

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 693

$4.46 JMD 702

-1.12%

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

$0.63 JMD 98.7

$1.37 JMD 215

-54.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.9

$0.75 JMD 117

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 JMD 289

$2.43 JMD 382

-24.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 354

$3.14 JMD 494

-28.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 487

$4.18 JMD 657

-25.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 558

$3.54 JMD 557

0.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 JMD 160

$1.54 JMD 243

-33.77%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 563

$3.52 JMD 553

1.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 JMD 1,707

$11.04 JMD 1,735

-1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 973

$6.48 JMD 1,019

-4.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,175

$7.81 JMD 1,227

-4.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 JMD 929

$5.95 JMD 936

-0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 470

$3.14 JMD 494

-4.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 JMD 453

$4.33 JMD 681

-33.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 478

$2.92 JMD 459

4.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$2.09 JMD 328

0.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$2.02 JMD 318

-4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 JMD 239

$2.97 JMD 467

-48.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 JMD 200

$1.44 JMD 227

-11.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 JMD 1,361

$8.72 JMD 1,371

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$11.29 JMD 1,775

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 440

$2.78 JMD 437

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 335

$3.15 JMD 495

-32.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 JMD 250

$0.82 JMD 129

93.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 JMD 9,968

$49.33 JMD 7,755

28.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 JMD 146

$1.07 JMD 168

-13.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$3.20 JMD 502

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,011

$6.39 JMD 1,004

0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.23 JMD 194

-11.38%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

-0.74%

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-1.30%

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

$156 JMD 24.6K

$164 JMD 25.7K

-4.45%

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

$21.70 JMD 3,411

$21.77 JMD 3,422

-0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 JMD 8,082

$51.7 JMD 8,127

-0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 JMD 2,504

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 JMD 2,081

$13.03 JMD 2,048

1.61%

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

$227 JMD 35.6K

$223 JMD 35.0K

1.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

$2,512 JMD 394.8K

-2.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.67 JMD 4,035

$25.87 JMD 4,066

-0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 JMD 4,087

$25.40 JMD 3,993

2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 JMD 48.8K

$909 JMD 142.9K

-65.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 JMD 35.0K

$463 JMD 72.8K

-51.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 JMD 103.9K

$2,028 JMD 318.8K

-67.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 JMD 91.7K

$1,174 JMD 184.5K

-50.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

$2,784 JMD 437.6K

170.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

$2,164 JMD 340.1K

170.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

$733 JMD 115.2K

79.07%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kingston: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Portmore and $909 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmore pays 79% 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 $63.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $349 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 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.

Average pay runs 79% 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: $310 in Portmore versus $909 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Portmore versus $223 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,102 in Portmore versus $1,459 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 32% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.