Cost of Living Comparison Between Cave Valley and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Cave Valley and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Cave Valley versus $1,461 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,421 in Cave Valley versus $2,447 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,963 in Cave Valley versus $3,432 in Kingston.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Cave Valley is 35% below, Kingston is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.63 JMD 1,207

$7.37 JMD 1,167

3.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.8 JMD 10.1K

$61.9 JMD 9,795

3.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.64 JMD 1,367

$8.89 JMD 1,407

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$4.32 JMD 684

$4.39 JMD 695

-1.59%

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

$1.36 JMD 215

$1.38 JMD 218

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 119

$0.71 JMD 112

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 JMD 402

$2.44 JMD 387

4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 509

$3.16 JMD 500

1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.44 JMD 702

$4.33 JMD 686

2.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 JMD 568

$3.66 JMD 579

-1.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 255

$1.57 JMD 249

2.55%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 544

$3.43 JMD 543

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 JMD 1,741

$10.85 JMD 1,717

1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 JMD 1,036

$6.53 JMD 1,033

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 JMD 1,185

$7.43 JMD 1,177

0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 JMD 966

$6.10 JMD 965

0.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 482

$3.08 JMD 488

-1.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 JMD 679

$4.12 JMD 653

4.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 469

$2.92 JMD 462

1.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 JMD 334

$2.01 JMD 319

4.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 309

$1.98 JMD 314

-1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 475

$2.99 JMD 473

0.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 231

$1.46 JMD 230

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 JMD 1,423

$8.64 JMD 1,367

4.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 JMD 1,780

$11.31 JMD 1,790

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 JMD 454

$2.86 JMD 453

0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 493

$3.21 JMD 508

-3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 JMD 137

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.18 JMD 7,626

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$1.12 JMD 178

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 497

$3.25 JMD 514

-3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 999

$6.43 JMD 1,018

-1.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 JMD 197

$1.22 JMD 194

2.46%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

0.10%

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

0.89%

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

$165 JMD 26.1K

$160 JMD 25.4K

2.95%

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

$22.19 JMD 3,511

$21.77 JMD 3,445

1.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 JMD 8,040

$51.2 JMD 8,096

-0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 JMD 2,485

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 JMD 2,044

$12.94 JMD 2,049

-0.23%

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

$224 JMD 35.4K

$230 JMD 36.5K

-2.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,525 JMD 399.6K

$2,450 JMD 387.7K

3.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.03 JMD 4,120

$26.54 JMD 4,200

-1.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.38 JMD 4,017

$25.83 JMD 4,087

-1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

-0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 JMD 11.9K

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 140.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 JMD 71.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 319.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 188.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,809 JMD 444.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 JMD 354.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 JMD 118.7K

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 Cave Valley: April 12, 2026

Last update for Kingston: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Cave Valley and $886 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64 in Cave Valley vs $62 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $350 per month, with Kingston 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

Cave Valley vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cave Valley and Kingston differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($879 vs $1,461 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,319 in Cave Valley and $2,192 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.

Shoppers in Kingston pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $879 per month in Cave Valley versus $1,461 in Kingston – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Cave Valley versus $1,461 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cave Valley but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Cave Valley 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 Cave Valley 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.