Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Green Island versus $1,468 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Green Island versus $2,461 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,006 in Green Island versus $3,454 in Kingston.

Living in Green Island costs roughly 39% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Green Island is 33% below, Kingston is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 JMD 1,174

$7.60 JMD 1,197

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

$61.6 JMD 9,701

3.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,367

$8.56 JMD 1,347

1.40%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JMD 694

$4.31 JMD 678

2.09%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.32 JMD 208

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.75 JMD 118

-5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 384

$2.43 JMD 383

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 487

$3.08 JMD 484

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.29 JMD 676

$4.38 JMD 690

-2.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 572

$3.64 JMD 574

-0.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.56 JMD 245

4.49%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 564

$3.46 JMD 545

3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 JMD 1,752

$11.02 JMD 1,736

1.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 973

$6.46 JMD 1,017

-4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 JMD 1,176

$7.55 JMD 1,189

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 JMD 925

$5.86 JMD 923

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 480

$3.10 JMD 488

-1.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 JMD 673

$4.14 JMD 652

3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$3.04 JMD 479

-3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$2.10 JMD 330

-4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 317

$1.93 JMD 304

4.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 474

$3.06 JMD 482

-1.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 JMD 233

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.58 JMD 1,351

$8.93 JMD 1,407

-3.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 JMD 1,818

$11.39 JMD 1,793

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$2.81 JMD 442

-1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 506

$3.18 JMD 501

1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 127

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.50 JMD 7,638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$3.25 JMD 513

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 999

$6.22 JMD 979

1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.23 JMD 194

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

2.68%

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

1.86%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$165 JMD 25.9K

-0.47%

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

$22.27 JMD 3,506

$22.23 JMD 3,501

0.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 JMD 8,123

$51.2 JMD 8,057

0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 JMD 2,449

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,091

$13.17 JMD 2,074

0.84%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$229 JMD 36.1K

-1.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

$2,465 JMD 388.2K

2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.71 JMD 4,048

$25.76 JMD 4,057

-0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.41 JMD 4,001

$25.21 JMD 3,970

0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$69.6 JMD 11.0K

2.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 JMD 138.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 JMD 318.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 JMD 191.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,815 JMD 443.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,200 JMD 346.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 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 Green Island: July 19, 2026

Last update for Kingston: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Green Island vs $62.0 in Kingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $351, with Green Island 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

Green Island vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Green Island and Kingston differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($894 vs $1,468 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,341 in Green Island and $2,202 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $894 per month in Green Island versus $1,468 in Kingston – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Green Island versus $1,468 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island 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 Green Island gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.