Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dalton, GA and Kingston

For one person, living is cheaper in Kingston: $1,668 a month against $1,757 in Dalton, GA, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Dalton, GA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

86

Cost of Living Index in Dalton, GA
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Dalton, GA Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Kingston
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Kingston Living Index

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Dalton, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,757

/mo nomad

Kingston

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dalton, GA and in Kingston

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dalton, GA and in Kingston actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,757 in Dalton, GA versus $1,668 in Kingston.

Dalton, GA $1,757
Kingston $1,668

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,486 in Dalton, GA versus $2,812 in Kingston.

Dalton, GA $2,486
Kingston $2,812

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,215 in Dalton, GA versus $3,955 in Kingston.

Dalton, GA $3,215
Kingston $3,955

Living in Dalton, GA is roughly 5% more expensive than in Kingston, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dalton, GA 30% above, Kingston 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.72 $15.72

$13.29 JMD 2,099

18.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.35 $30.35

$73.8 JMD 11.7K

-58.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 $5.82

$8.14 JMD 1,285

-28.50%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.45 JMD 861

-9.54%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$1.14 JMD 180

114.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.72 JMD 115

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.16 JMD 341

127.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.11 JMD 491

27.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$4.19 JMD 661

-79.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.78 JMD 598

-23.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.61 JMD 254

63.98%

Eggs

$3.38 $3.38

$3.48 JMD 550

-2.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$11.40 JMD 1,801

-15.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 $9.52

$6.35 JMD 1,003

49.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.40 $8.40

$10.40 JMD 1,644

-19.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$6.05 JMD 957

-40.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$3.82 JMD 604

-63.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$7.25 JMD 1,146

-52.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.06 JMD 484

-18.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.21 JMD 506

-41.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.62 JMD 415

-13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.13 JMD 494

-44.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.44 JMD 228

31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 $4.22

$9.48 JMD 1,498

-55.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 $10.60

$11.36 JMD 1,795

-6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.86 JMD 453

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$3.88 JMD 613

-68.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 JMD 119

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.27 JMD 5,888

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.22 JMD 192

219.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$3.20 JMD 505

-41.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.09 $32.09

$6.31 JMD 996

408.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.39 JMD 219

-43.17%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$44.3K JMD 7.0M

-21.26%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$32.8K JMD 5.2M

-21.27%

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

$168 $168

$167 JMD 26.4K

0.74%

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

$44.57 $44.57

$29.86 JMD 4,717

49.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$53.4 JMD 8,443

36.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.95 $29.95

$61.9 JMD 9,787

-51.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.61 JMD 2,782

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$13.15 JMD 2,078

-9.73%

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

$1,572 $1,572

$359 JMD 56.7K

338.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,520 $8,520

$8,382 JMD 1.3M

1.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.18 $26.18

$23.75 JMD 3,752

10.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.72 $26.72

$31.13 JMD 4,918

-14.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 $78.8

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 $65.2

$100 JMD 15.9K

-35.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$999 $999

$975 JMD 154.0K

2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 $781

$563 JMD 89.0K

38.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 $1,364

$2,142 JMD 338.5K

-36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 $1,241

$1,421 JMD 224.6K

-12.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,522 $2,522

$2,876 JMD 454.4K

-12.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,400 $2,400

$2,044 JMD 323.0K

17.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,990 $2,990

$735 JMD 116.1K

306.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

9.45

-29.63%

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

Last update for Dalton, GA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kingston: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dalton, GA

$781 44.4%

Kingston

$563 33.8% 27.9% $218

Groceries & Markets

Dalton, GA

$287 16.3%

Kingston

$384 23% 34% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dalton, GA

$286 16.3%

Kingston

$250 15% 12.4% $35

Eating Out

Dalton, GA

$249 14.2%

Kingston

$221 13.2% 11.3% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Dalton, GA

$89 5%

Kingston

$105 6.3% 18% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Dalton, GA

$54 3.1%

Kingston

$88 5.3% 64.4% $35

Getting Around

Dalton, GA

$13 * 0.8%

Kingston

$57 3.5% 335% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $999 in Dalton, GA and $975 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dalton, GA pays 307% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Dalton, GA vs $74.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $384 per month, with Dalton, GA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dalton, GA

🇯🇲 Kingston

🕒 Local time

11:13 11:13 AM

10:13 10:13 AM

1 h behind Dalton, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,045

660,000 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇯🇲 Jamaican Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR).

JMD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dalton, GA Kingston 2,040 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Dalton, GA
Kingston

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dalton, GA vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dalton, GA and Kingston differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,757 vs $1,668 including rent). Kingston is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 307% higher in Dalton, GA, 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: $999 in Dalton, GA versus $975 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,572 in Dalton, GA versus $359 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kingston – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $30.00 in Dalton, GA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,668 in Kingston versus $1,757 in Dalton, GA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Dalton, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Kingston 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 Kingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Dalton, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.