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: $1,451 in Kingston versus $884 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Kingston versus $1,450 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,498 in Kingston versus $2,015 in Alexandria.

Living in Kingston is roughly 64% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 8% above, Alexandria is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 JMD 1,192

$7.32 JMD 1,147

3.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,707

$61.7 JMD 9,669

0.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 JMD 1,379

$8.78 JMD 1,376

0.23%

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 682

$4.40 JMD 689

-0.91%

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

$1.32 JMD 207

$1.36 JMD 213

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.72 JMD 112

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 403

$2.43 JMD 380

5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 501

$3.05 JMD 478

4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 684

$4.24 JMD 665

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 573

$3.62 JMD 568

1.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 246

$1.55 JMD 243

1.29%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 543

$3.46 JMD 543

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 JMD 1,754

$10.89 JMD 1,706

2.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 JMD 1,007

$6.30 JMD 988

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,225

$7.49 JMD 1,174

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 933

$6.05 JMD 948

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 491

$3.02 JMD 473

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 JMD 673

$4.15 JMD 650

3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 464

$3.06 JMD 480

-3.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 317

$2.10 JMD 329

-3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$1.93 JMD 303

4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 489

$3.11 JMD 488

0.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 227

$1.49 JMD 234

-2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 JMD 1,393

$8.69 JMD 1,361

2.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,769

$11.55 JMD 1,809

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 454

$2.85 JMD 447

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$3.05 JMD 478

4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.53 JMD 7,604

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 176

$1.12 JMD 175

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 494

$3.20 JMD 501

-1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 971

$6.11 JMD 957

1.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.23 JMD 192

4.07%

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

-0.23%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

2.32%

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

$163 JMD 25.5K

$161 JMD 25.3K

1.00%

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

$22.49 JMD 3,523

$22.32 JMD 3,497

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,942

$51.2 JMD 8,016

-0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 JMD 2,428

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,024

$13.40 JMD 2,100

-3.58%

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

$222 JMD 34.8K

$229 JMD 35.9K

-3.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,451 JMD 384.0K

$2,485 JMD 389.3K

-1.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.73 JMD 4,032

$25.84 JMD 4,049

-0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 JMD 3,955

$25.62 JMD 4,014

-1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.3K

$71.5 JMD 11.2K

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 JMD 11.8K

$76.2 JMD 11.9K

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 137.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 70.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 316.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 JMD 188.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 JMD 448.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 JMD 343.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 114.7K

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 Kingston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Kingston vs $62.0 in Alexandria. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $350, with Alexandria 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

Kingston vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston and Alexandria differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($1,451 vs $884 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,177 in Kingston and $1,326 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 $222 in Kingston versus $229 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 $62.0 versus $62.0 in Kingston. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $884 in Alexandria versus $1,451 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 64% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.