Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Bull Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Bull Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,459 per month in Kingston vs $833 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,444 per month in Kingston vs $1,225 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Kingston vs $1,616 in Bull Bay, rent included.

Kingston costs about 75% more than Bull Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 10% above the global median, while Bull Bay is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 JMD 1,192

$7.54 JMD 1,188

0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 JMD 9,947

$63.6 JMD 10.0K

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 JMD 1,409

$6.44 JMD 1,015

38.98%

Cappuccino

$4.46 JMD 703

$1.60 JMD 252

178.75%

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

$1.37 JMD 216

$0.95 JMD 150

44.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.71 JMD 112

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$2.56 JMD 404

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 JMD 495

$2.43 JMD 383

29.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.18 JMD 659

$4.35 JMD 685

-3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 JMD 558

$3.31 JMD 521

6.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 243

$1.23 JMD 194

25.20%

Eggs

$3.52 JMD 555

$3.55 JMD 558

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 JMD 1,738

$4.98 JMD 785

121.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 JMD 1,021

$6.49 JMD 1,022

-0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 JMD 1,229

$3.75 JMD 590

108.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 JMD 938

$1.91 JMD 300

211.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 495

$1.91 JMD 300

64.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 JMD 682

$2.15 JMD 338

101.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 JMD 460

$0.96 JMD 151

204.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 329

$0.91 JMD 143

129.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

$1.53 JMD 240

32.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 468

$1.10 JMD 173

170.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$1.02 JMD 161

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.72 JMD 1,373

$3.82 JMD 601

128.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,779

$3.87 JMD 610

191.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$2.43 JMD 383

14.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 496

$2.44 JMD 384

29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 JMD 130

$0.93 JMD 146

-11.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.33 JMD 7,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$0.96 JMD 151

11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 503

$3.15 JMD 496

1.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 JMD 1,006

$6.10 JMD 960

4.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.25 JMD 196

-1.60%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-1.23%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.4M

0.07%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$115 JMD 18.1K

42.51%

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

$21.77 JMD 3,428

$22.12 JMD 3,484

-1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 JMD 8,143

$18.50 JMD 2,914

179.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 JMD 11.0K

$30.73 JMD 4,840

126.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 JMD 2,509

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,052

$13.03 JMD 2,051

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

$223 JMD 35.1K

$228 JMD 35.9K

-2.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 395.6K

$2,442 JMD 384.5K

2.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.87 JMD 4,074

$26.23 JMD 4,131

-1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 JMD 4,001

$25.62 JMD 4,035

-0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$71.4 JMD 11.2K

-2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

1.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 JMD 143.2K

$216 JMD 34.1K

320.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 72.9K

$154 JMD 24.3K

199.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 JMD 319.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 JMD 184.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 JMD 438.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,164 JMD 340.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 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 26, 2026

Last update for Bull Bay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $909 in Kingston versus $216 in Bull Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Kingston versus $64.0 in Bull Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Kingston vs $236 in Bull Bay – so Bull Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bull Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,459 in Kingston, $833 in Bull Bay – roughly 75% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,188 per month in Kingston and $1,250 in Bull Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,459 in Kingston and $833 in Bull Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $223 per month in Kingston and $228 in Bull Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bull Bay, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Kingston at $1,459. In Bull Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bull Bay – 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 Bull Bay. 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.