Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Alexandria versus $1,482 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,431 in Alexandria versus $2,489 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Alexandria versus $3,496 in Kingston.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 40% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria is 33% below, Kingston is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 JMD 1,204

$7.46 JMD 1,176

2.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 JMD 10.0K

$61.7 JMD 9,720

2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,390

$8.58 JMD 1,352

2.80%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$4.39 JMD 692

-1.82%

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

$1.30 JMD 206

$1.33 JMD 209

-2.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 110

$0.74 JMD 117

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 388

$2.43 JMD 383

1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 497

$3.10 JMD 489

1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.20 JMD 662

$4.33 JMD 682

-3.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 573

$3.49 JMD 551

4.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.64 JMD 258

-1.22%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 562

$3.61 JMD 568

-1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 JMD 1,753

$11.20 JMD 1,765

-0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 JMD 994

$6.45 JMD 1,016

-2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 JMD 1,181

$7.82 JMD 1,232

-4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 971

$5.99 JMD 945

2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 487

$2.98 JMD 470

3.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 JMD 674

$4.21 JMD 663

1.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 465

$2.90 JMD 457

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 332

$2.02 JMD 319

3.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.00 JMD 315

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 473

$3.01 JMD 475

-0.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 229

$1.51 JMD 238

-3.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 JMD 1,395

$8.61 JMD 1,357

2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 JMD 1,796

$11.47 JMD 1,808

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 443

$2.78 JMD 438

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 505

$3.04 JMD 480

5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,751

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.09 JMD 171

-0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 506

$3.22 JMD 507

-0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 JMD 962

$6.34 JMD 999

-3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.24 JMD 196

-0.81%

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

0.65%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-0.95%

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

$162 JMD 25.5K

$161 JMD 25.3K

0.63%

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

$21.86 JMD 3,444

$22.24 JMD 3,504

-1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 JMD 7,950

$52.0 JMD 8,191

-2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,508

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,081

$13.38 JMD 2,109

-1.27%

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

$227 JMD 35.8K

$222 JMD 35.0K

2.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,437 JMD 384.1K

$2,532 JMD 399.1K

-3.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.71 JMD 4,052

$25.81 JMD 4,068

-0.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.05 JMD 4,105

$25.49 JMD 4,017

2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 JMD 316.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 187.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 451.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.4K

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 Alexandria: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kingston: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Alexandria vs $62.0 in Kingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $351, with Alexandria cheaper for home cooking.

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

Alexandria vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria and Kingston differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($894 vs $1,482 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,342 in Alexandria and $2,223 in Kingston to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $227 in Alexandria versus $222 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $62.0 in Kingston. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $894 in Alexandria versus $1,482 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.