Cost of Living Comparison Between Dalton, GA and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Dalton, GA and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,795 in Dalton, GA versus $1,684 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,567 in Dalton, GA versus $2,889 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Dalton, GA versus $4,093 in Kingston.

Living in Dalton, GA is roughly 7% more expensive than in Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dalton, GA 31% above, Kingston 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.95 $16.95

$15.95 JMD 2,513

6.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.93 $47.93

$74.4 JMD 11.7K

-35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.81 JMD 1,388

-33.14%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$5.22 JMD 823

-1.92%

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

$1.91 $1.91

$1.19 JMD 188

60.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.69 JMD 109

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.19 JMD 345

129.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.08 JMD 486

33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$4.06 JMD 639

-79.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.74 JMD 589

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.66 JMD 261

60.84%

Eggs

$3.38 $3.38

$3.61 JMD 570

-6.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$11.58 JMD 1,826

-19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 $9.62

$6.19 JMD 975

55.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 $8.31

$10.12 JMD 1,595

-17.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$6.12 JMD 964

-41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$3.99 JMD 629

-66.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$7.48 JMD 1,179

-51.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.11 JMD 491

-18.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.23 JMD 510

-39.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.64 JMD 416

-15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.01 JMD 474

-42.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.46 JMD 231

30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 $4.37

$9.74 JMD 1,534

-55.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 $10.48

$11.32 JMD 1,785

-7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.78 JMD 439

-54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 $1.31

$3.96 JMD 625

-66.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.60 JMD 6,082

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.23 JMD 193

232.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$3.14 JMD 496

-40.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 $32.68

$6.15 JMD 970

431.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.36 JMD 215

-37.50%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-19.22%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

-20.52%

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

$164 $164

$172 JMD 27.1K

-4.36%

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

$44.78 $44.78

$29.66 JMD 4,675

50.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$52.5 JMD 8,278

36.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.42 $30.42

$62.6 JMD 9,862

-51.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 JMD 2,827

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 $11.93

$13.35 JMD 2,103

-10.64%

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

$1,580 $1,580

$367 JMD 57.8K

330.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,265 $8,265

$8,302 JMD 1.3M

-0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.33 $26.33

$23.88 JMD 3,764

10.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.19 $26.19

$31.86 JMD 5,020

-17.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$79.2 JMD 12.5K

-0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 $65.6

$102 JMD 16.1K

-35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 $963

$972 JMD 153.2K

-0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 $802

$563 JMD 88.7K

42.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 $1,368

$2,117 JMD 333.5K

-35.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 $1,250

$1,434 JMD 226.0K

-12.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,589 $2,589

$2,902 JMD 457.4K

-10.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,400 $2,400

$2,054 JMD 323.7K

16.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,036 $3,036

$757 JMD 119.3K

301.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

9.45

-34.07%

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

Last update for Dalton, GA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kingston: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Dalton, GA and $972 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dalton, GA pays 301% 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: $48.00 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.

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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,795 vs $1,684 including rent). Kingston is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 301% 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: $963 in Dalton, GA versus $972 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,580 in Dalton, GA versus $367 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 $48.00 in Dalton, GA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,684 in Kingston versus $1,795 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 7% less than in Dalton, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.