Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Budapest

For one person, living costs are similar in Kingston and in Budapest: $1,668 and $1,621 a month, rent and utilities included.

81

Cost of Living Index in Kingston
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Kingston Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Kingston

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,668

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kingston and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kingston and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,668 per month in Kingston vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Kingston $1,668
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $2,779 per month in Kingston vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Kingston $2,779
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $3,890 per month in Kingston vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Kingston $3,890
Budapest $3,489

Kingston costs about 3% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kingston and Budapest sit above the global median – Kingston by 24%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.57 JMD 2,150

$13.99 Ft 4,555

-3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 JMD 11.8K

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

22.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 JMD 1,261

$9.96 Ft 3,244

-20.18%

Cappuccino

$5.47 JMD 866

$3.38 Ft 1,102

61.83%

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

$1.14 JMD 180

$2.13 Ft 693

-46.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$1.87 Ft 609

-59.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 JMD 358

$3.75 Ft 1,222

-39.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 JMD 496

$3.57 Ft 1,163

-12.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.12 JMD 654

$1.13 Ft 369

264.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 JMD 600

$1.84 Ft 600

105.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 251

$2.39 Ft 777

-33.47%

Eggs

$3.56 JMD 564

$3.83 Ft 1,246

-7.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 JMD 1,778

$11.33 Ft 3,689

-0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 JMD 1,026

$6.74 Ft 2,194

-3.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 JMD 1,620

$14.69 Ft 4,784

-30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 JMD 933

$1.84 Ft 598

220.11%

Banana (1kg)

$3.90 JMD 619

$2.01 Ft 654

94.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.34 JMD 1,163

$2.36 Ft 767

211.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 485

$3.77 Ft 1,227

-18.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 JMD 511

$0.96 Ft 314

236.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 JMD 423

$1.03 Ft 335

159.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 JMD 483

$1.56 Ft 509

95.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 240

$0.66 Ft 216

128.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.51 JMD 1,507

$7.96 Ft 2,594

19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 JMD 1,793

$6.01 Ft 1,956

88.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 JMD 447

$1.30 Ft 422

116.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 JMD 649

$2.08 Ft 677

97.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 JMD 123

$1.50 Ft 490

-48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.32 JMD 5,914

$27.61 Ft 8,991

35.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 JMD 196

$3.30 Ft 1,075

-62.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 JMD 504

$1.30 Ft 424

144.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 JMD 1,023

$19.78 Ft 6,442

-67.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 225

$1.81 Ft 591

-21.55%

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

$44.7K JMD 7.1M

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

52.29%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-3.64%

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

$169 JMD 26.7K

$170 Ft 55.3K

-0.75%

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

$29.11 JMD 4,613

$23.98 Ft 7,809

21.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 JMD 8,390

$23.42 Ft 7,628

126.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 JMD 9,904

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

-5.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.63 JMD 2,793

$19.18 Ft 6,245

-8.08%

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,104

$9.52 Ft 3,101

39.50%

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

$357 JMD 56.6K

$537 Ft 174.8K

-33.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,163 JMD 1.3M

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

-50.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.85 JMD 3,780

$101 Ft 33.0K

-76.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.37 JMD 4,971

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

-27.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 JMD 12.4K

$113 Ft 36.7K

-30.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.1K

$119 Ft 38.7K

-14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 JMD 151.6K

$805 Ft 262.2K

18.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 JMD 91.3K

$629 Ft 204.9K

-8.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,139 JMD 338.9K

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 JMD 220.5K

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

19.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,892 JMD 458.2K

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-48.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,080 JMD 329.6K

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-47.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 JMD 116.1K

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

-54.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

6.43

46.97%

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

Last update for Kingston: October 4, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kingston

$576 34.2%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 9.2% $53

Groceries & Markets

Kingston

$384 22.8%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 33% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kingston

$251 14.9%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 13.3% $33

Eating Out

Kingston

$223 13.2%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 0.5% $1.2

Clothing & Footwear

Kingston

$106 6.3%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 60% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Kingston

$89 5.3%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 4.2% $3.8

Getting Around

Kingston

$58 3.4%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 24.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Kingston versus $805 in Budapest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 122% higher in Budapest, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Kingston versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇲 Kingston

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

22:43 10:43 PM

05:43 5:43 AM

7 h ahead of Kingston

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

660,000 Capital

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.31 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to JMD – Jamaican Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇲 Jamaican Dollar ($)

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.31 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to JMD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kingston Budapest 8,970 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Kingston
Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kingston is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,502 per month in Kingston and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $357 per month in Kingston and $537 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Kingston at $1,668. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Budapest. 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.