Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamboo and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Bamboo and Kingston

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 JMD 2,513

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 JMD 11.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 JMD 1,388

Cappuccino

$5.22 JMD 823

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

$1.19 JMD 188

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 JMD 109

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 JMD 345

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 486

Milk (1 liter)

$4.06 JMD 639

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 JMD 589

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 JMD 261

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 570

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 JMD 1,826

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 975

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 JMD 1,595

Apples (1kg)

$6.12 JMD 964

Banana (1kg)

$3.99 JMD 629

Oranges (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,179

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 491

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 JMD 510

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 JMD 416

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 474

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 231

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 JMD 1,534

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 JMD 1,785

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 JMD 625

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.60 JMD 6,082

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 496

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 970

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 215

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

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

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

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

$172 JMD 27.1K

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

$29.66 JMD 4,675

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 JMD 8,278

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.6 JMD 9,862

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 JMD 2,827

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 JMD 2,103

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

$367 JMD 57.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,302 JMD 1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.88 JMD 3,764

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.86 JMD 5,020

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 JMD 12.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$972 JMD 153.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 JMD 333.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 JMD 226.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,902 JMD 457.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,054 JMD 323.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 JMD 119.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bamboo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kingston: August 29, 2026

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

Bamboo vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Bamboo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bamboo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.