Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,684 in Kingston versus $1,016 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,889 in Kingston versus $1,684 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,093 in Kingston versus $2,352 in Alexandria.

Living in Kingston is roughly 66% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 23% above, Alexandria is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 JMD 2,513

$15.90 JMD 2,505

0.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 JMD 11.7K

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

-2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 JMD 1,388

$8.97 JMD 1,413

-1.78%

Cappuccino

$5.22 JMD 823

$5.45 JMD 858

-4.22%

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

$1.19 JMD 188

$1.19 JMD 187

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 JMD 109

$0.69 JMD 108

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 JMD 345

$2.15 JMD 339

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 486

$3.07 JMD 483

0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.06 JMD 639

$4.23 JMD 667

-4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 JMD 589

$3.82 JMD 602

-2.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 JMD 261

$1.62 JMD 256

2.47%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 570

$3.51 JMD 554

2.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 JMD 1,826

$11.28 JMD 1,778

2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 975

$6.22 JMD 980

-0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 JMD 1,595

$10.42 JMD 1,642

-2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.12 JMD 964

$5.92 JMD 933

3.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.99 JMD 629

$3.95 JMD 622

1.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,179

$7.47 JMD 1,178

0.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 491

$2.99 JMD 471

4.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 JMD 510

$3.23 JMD 509

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 JMD 416

$2.68 JMD 422

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 474

$3.03 JMD 477

-0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 231

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 JMD 1,534

$9.36 JMD 1,475

4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 JMD 1,785

$11.54 JMD 1,819

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 439

$2.81 JMD 443

-1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 JMD 625

$4.06 JMD 639

-2.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.60 JMD 6,082

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.17 JMD 184

5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 496

$3.22 JMD 508

-2.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 970

$6.20 JMD 978

-0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 215

$1.39 JMD 220

-2.16%

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

-1.56%

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

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

$32.3K JMD 5.1M

0.19%

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

$172 JMD 27.1K

$173 JMD 27.2K

-0.40%

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

$29.66 JMD 4,675

$30.02 JMD 4,731

-1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 JMD 8,278

$53.5 JMD 8,434

-1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.6 JMD 9,862

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 JMD 2,827

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 JMD 2,103

$13.41 JMD 2,114

-0.45%

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

$367 JMD 57.8K

$366 JMD 57.7K

0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,302 JMD 1.3M

$8,169 JMD 1.3M

1.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.88 JMD 3,764

$23.84 JMD 3,756

0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.86 JMD 5,020

$31.50 JMD 4,964

1.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 JMD 12.5K

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.1K

$103 JMD 16.2K

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$972 JMD 153.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 JMD 333.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 JMD 226.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,902 JMD 457.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,054 JMD 323.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 JMD 119.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

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

Last update for Kingston: August 29, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $74.0 in Kingston vs $76.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $385 per month, with Kingston 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

Kingston vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston and Alexandria differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,684 vs $1,016 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,526 in Kingston and $1,525 in Alexandria 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.

Childcare runs $367 in Kingston versus $366 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $74.0 in Kingston. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,016 in Alexandria versus $1,684 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.