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 $1,475 per month in Kingston vs $848 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,431 per month in Kingston vs $1,247 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,388 per month in Kingston vs $1,647 in Bull Bay, rent included.

Kingston costs about 74% more than Bull Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 11% above the global median, while Bull Bay is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 JMD 1,208

$7.53 JMD 1,183

2.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.8 JMD 10.0K

$63.3 JMD 9,934

0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,404

$6.19 JMD 972

44.43%

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 684

$1.53 JMD 241

184.97%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$0.96 JMD 151

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 111

$0.76 JMD 120

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 JMD 397

$2.55 JMD 400

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 477

$2.54 JMD 400

19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 662

$4.22 JMD 663

-0.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 JMD 545

$3.31 JMD 519

4.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.28 JMD 201

26.56%

Eggs

$3.41 JMD 536

$3.45 JMD 541

-1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 JMD 1,702

$4.95 JMD 777

118.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 JMD 976

$6.31 JMD 991

-1.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 JMD 1,187

$3.66 JMD 574

106.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 JMD 923

$1.86 JMD 292

216.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 JMD 476

$1.85 JMD 291

63.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 JMD 678

$2.16 JMD 340

99.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 472

$0.98 JMD 153

207.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 314

$0.92 JMD 144

117.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 314

$1.58 JMD 249

26.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 489

$1.16 JMD 182

168.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$0.98 JMD 154

52.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.92 JMD 1,401

$3.67 JMD 576

143.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 JMD 1,767

$3.83 JMD 601

193.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 JMD 432

$2.33 JMD 366

18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$2.31 JMD 363

37.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 JMD 137

$0.98 JMD 154

-10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.15 JMD 7,718

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 176

$0.91 JMD 143

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.21 JMD 504

-1.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 971

$6.29 JMD 988

-1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.24 JMD 194

3.23%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

1.54%

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

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-2.85%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$112 JMD 17.6K

47.31%

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

$21.94 JMD 3,445

$22.18 JMD 3,482

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 JMD 7,907

$19.07 JMD 2,994

164.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 JMD 10.7K

$31.93 JMD 5,014

114.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.39 JMD 2,417

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 JMD 2,091

$12.90 JMD 2,025

3.18%

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

$223 JMD 35.1K

$230 JMD 36.1K

-2.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,452 JMD 385.1K

$2,489 JMD 390.8K

-1.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.29 JMD 4,129

$26.15 JMD 4,106

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 JMD 4,048

$25.63 JMD 4,024

0.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 JMD 11.2K

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 JMD 141.2K

$217 JMD 34.1K

314.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 72.7K

$159 JMD 24.9K

191.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 JMD 315.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 JMD 187.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 JMD 441.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,178 JMD 342.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 JMD 117.3K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Bull Bay: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $899 in Kingston versus $217 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 $64.0 in Kingston versus $63.0 in Bull Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $232 – making Bull Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,475 in Kingston, $848 in Bull Bay – roughly 74% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,212 per month in Kingston and $1,272 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 $1,475 in Kingston and $848 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 $230 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 $848, than in Kingston at $1,475. 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.