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: $1,112 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.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 JMD 757

$7.30 JMD 1,147

-33.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 JMD 9,885

$62.8 JMD 9,862

0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,380

$8.99 JMD 1,412

-2.34%

Cappuccino

$4.23 JMD 665

$4.36 JMD 684

-2.98%

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

$0.69 JMD 108

$1.36 JMD 214

-49.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.8

$0.75 JMD 118

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 JMD 291

$2.47 JMD 387

-25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 JMD 350

$3.20 JMD 502

-30.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 JMD 479

$4.41 JMD 693

-30.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 571

$3.58 JMD 563

1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 JMD 155

$1.61 JMD 253

-38.51%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$3.55 JMD 558

-0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 JMD 1,757

$11.14 JMD 1,750

0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,011

$6.45 JMD 1,014

-0.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,178

$7.54 JMD 1,185

-0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 941

$6.15 JMD 966

-2.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 488

$3.03 JMD 476

2.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 464

$4.14 JMD 650

-28.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.96 JMD 464

3.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$2.10 JMD 330

-4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 JMD 313

$1.91 JMD 300

4.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$3.07 JMD 483

-48.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.45 JMD 228

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 JMD 1,368

$8.70 JMD 1,367

0.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,804

$11.41 JMD 1,791

0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 446

$2.91 JMD 456

-2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 JMD 354

$3.07 JMD 482

-26.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 JMD 252

$0.88 JMD 138

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 JMD 9,884

$49.34 JMD 7,750

27.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

$1.13 JMD 177

-19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 510

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 JMD 988

$6.08 JMD 955

3.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 170

$1.28 JMD 200

-15.62%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

-1.49%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

1.69%

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

$156 JMD 24.5K

$163 JMD 25.6K

-4.30%

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

$22.40 JMD 3,518

$22.50 JMD 3,533

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,129

$51.1 JMD 8,029

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 JMD 2,431

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,068

$13.13 JMD 2,063

0.30%

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

$224 JMD 35.2K

$228 JMD 35.9K

-1.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,479 JMD 389.4K

$2,527 JMD 396.9K

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.93 JMD 4,073

$26.50 JMD 4,163

-2.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 JMD 3,977

$25.86 JMD 4,062

-2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

$71.8 JMD 11.3K

-2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-3.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 JMD 49.4K

$877 JMD 137.7K

-64.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.8K

$449 JMD 70.5K

-51.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 JMD 101.5K

$2,018 JMD 316.9K

-67.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 JMD 93.8K

$1,213 JMD 190.5K

-50.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,724 JMD 1.2M

$2,865 JMD 450.0K

169.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,745 JMD 902.3K

$2,208 JMD 346.7K

160.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,267 JMD 199.0K

$734 JMD 115.2K

72.69%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

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.