Cost of Living Comparison Between Jonesboro, AR and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Jonesboro, AR and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,097 in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,684 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,980 in Jonesboro, AR versus $2,889 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,863 in Jonesboro, AR versus $4,093 in Kingston.

Living in Jonesboro, AR is roughly 24% more expensive than in Kingston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jonesboro, AR 53% above, Kingston 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.90 $27.90

$15.95 JMD 2,513

74.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 $59.5

$74.4 JMD 11.7K

-19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 $10.60

$8.81 JMD 1,388

20.32%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.22 JMD 823

-1.72%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.19 JMD 188

86.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.69 JMD 109

160.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.19 JMD 345

99.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.41 $6.41

$3.08 JMD 486

108.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$4.06 JMD 639

-72.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.74 JMD 589

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.66 JMD 261

28.31%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$3.61 JMD 570

0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$11.58 JMD 1,826

-24.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$6.19 JMD 975

45.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 $11.52

$10.12 JMD 1,595

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.12 JMD 964

-29.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.99 JMD 629

-71.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$7.48 JMD 1,179

-60.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.11 JMD 491

24.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$3.23 JMD 510

-47.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.64 JMD 416

-7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.01 JMD 474

-41.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.46 JMD 231

43.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.31 $8.31

$9.74 JMD 1,534

-14.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 $13.73

$11.32 JMD 1,785

21.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.78 JMD 439

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.96 JMD 625

-5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.81 JMD 128

35.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.25 $30.25

$38.60 JMD 6,082

-21.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.23 JMD 193

139.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$3.14 JMD 496

-55.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.68 $27.68

$6.15 JMD 970

350.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.36 JMD 215

-41.18%

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

$31.3K $31.3K

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-28.31%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

-18.29%

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

$222 $222

$172 JMD 27.1K

29.38%

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

$46.43 $46.43

$29.66 JMD 4,675

56.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 $71.8

$52.5 JMD 8,278

36.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 $40.75

$62.6 JMD 9,862

-34.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 $10.99

$17.94 JMD 2,827

-38.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.14 $12.14

$13.35 JMD 2,103

-9.06%

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

$759 $759

$367 JMD 57.8K

106.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,488 $8,488

$8,302 JMD 1.3M

2.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$23.88 JMD 3,764

168.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.31 $36.31

$31.86 JMD 5,020

13.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$79.2 JMD 12.5K

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$102 JMD 16.1K

5.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 $1,163

$972 JMD 153.2K

19.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 $852

$563 JMD 88.7K

51.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 $1,412

$2,117 JMD 333.5K

-33.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 $1,146

$1,434 JMD 226.0K

-20.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 $1,575

$2,902 JMD 457.4K

-45.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,545 $1,545

$2,054 JMD 323.7K

-24.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,410 $3,410

$757 JMD 119.3K

350.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

9.45

-35.77%

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

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kingston: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,163 in Jonesboro, AR and $972 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jonesboro, AR pays 350% 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: $60.0 in Jonesboro, AR vs $74.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $384 per month, with Jonesboro, AR 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

Jonesboro, AR vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 350% higher in Jonesboro, AR, 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: $1,163 in Jonesboro, AR versus $972 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,097 per month in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,684 in Kingston – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kingston runs roughly 28% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,684 in Kingston versus $2,097 in Jonesboro, AR, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Jonesboro, AR. 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 24% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.