Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Bamboo Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Bamboo

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,176

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,720

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,352

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 692

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

$1.33 JMD 209

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 489

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 682

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 551

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 JMD 258

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 568

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,765

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,016

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,232

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 945

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 470

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 663

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 457

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 315

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 475

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 238

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,357

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,808

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,751

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 999

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 196

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

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

$22.24 JMD 3,504

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,191

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,508

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,109

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

$222 JMD 35.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.81 JMD 4,068

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 JMD 4,017

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 JMD 316.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 187.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 451.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.4K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bamboo: July 13, 2026

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 Bamboo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Bamboo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bamboo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.