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: $899 in Green Island versus $1,454 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Green Island versus $2,432 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,994 in Green Island versus $3,409 in Kingston.

Living in Green Island costs roughly 38% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Green Island is 33% below, Kingston is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 JMD 1,208

$7.54 JMD 1,186

1.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,878

$63.3 JMD 9,964

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 JMD 1,372

$8.76 JMD 1,378

-0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.42 JMD 695

$4.44 JMD 699

-0.45%

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

$1.31 JMD 207

$1.31 JMD 206

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.69 JMD 109

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 JMD 391

$2.57 JMD 404

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 504

$3.08 JMD 485

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 686

$4.32 JMD 680

0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 JMD 577

$3.54 JMD 557

3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$1.61 JMD 253

-3.73%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 562

$3.50 JMD 550

2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 JMD 1,771

$11.10 JMD 1,746

1.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,013

$6.50 JMD 1,022

-0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,206

$7.79 JMD 1,225

-1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 JMD 927

$6.15 JMD 967

-4.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$3.06 JMD 481

0.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 662

$4.33 JMD 681

-2.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 JMD 455

$3.00 JMD 472

-3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 331

$2.05 JMD 322

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$1.91 JMD 301

5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 493

$3.13 JMD 492

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 JMD 1,389

$9.00 JMD 1,416

-1.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 JMD 1,784

$11.59 JMD 1,824

-2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 437

$2.86 JMD 450

-2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 480

$3.08 JMD 485

-0.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.88 JMD 7,845

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$1.08 JMD 170

-0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$3.16 JMD 497

2.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 JMD 970

$6.17 JMD 971

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.24 JMD 195

4.03%

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

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-1.10%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

-0.77%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

0.13%

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

$22.16 JMD 3,486

$21.76 JMD 3,423

1.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.98 JMD 7,862

$51.9 JMD 8,163

-3.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.47 JMD 2,434

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 JMD 2,055

$13.21 JMD 2,078

-1.06%

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

$224 JMD 35.3K

$228 JMD 35.9K

-1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

$2,456 JMD 386.3K

0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.45 JMD 4,160

$26.42 JMD 4,156

0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 JMD 4,041

$25.61 JMD 4,028

0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 139.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 JMD 70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 JMD 313.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 JMD 190.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,824 JMD 444.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,167 JMD 340.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 JMD 118.6K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Green Island vs $63.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $353 per month, with Green Island 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

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

Green Island and Kingston differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($899 vs $1,454 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,348 in Green Island and $2,180 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 0% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $899 per month in Green Island versus $1,454 in Kingston – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Green Island versus $1,454 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 62% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.