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 $1,706 per month in Kingston vs $931 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Kingston vs $1,434 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,988 per month in Kingston vs $1,938 in Bull Bay, rent included.

Kingston costs about 83% more than Bull Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 25% above the global median, while Bull Bay is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 JMD 2,506

$15.54 JMD 2,436

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 JMD 11.8K

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

-1.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 JMD 1,358

$6.19 JMD 971

39.90%

Cappuccino

$5.31 JMD 832

$1.56 JMD 245

240.38%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$0.93 JMD 146

29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 JMD 106

$0.69 JMD 109

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 JMD 343

$2.21 JMD 346

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$2.56 JMD 401

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.10 JMD 642

$4.09 JMD 642

0.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 JMD 609

$3.39 JMD 532

14.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 249

$1.23 JMD 193

29.27%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 556

$3.60 JMD 564

-1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 JMD 1,830

$4.98 JMD 780

134.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,010

$6.37 JMD 998

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 JMD 1,605

$3.89 JMD 610

163.24%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 969

$1.92 JMD 300

221.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.87 JMD 607

$1.84 JMD 289

110.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,175

$2.17 JMD 341

245.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 481

$0.96 JMD 150

219.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 528

$0.96 JMD 151

251.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 JMD 427

$1.60 JMD 251

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 489

$1.16 JMD 182

168.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$0.98 JMD 154

55.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.54 JMD 1,495

$3.72 JMD 582

156.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 JMD 1,791

$3.72 JMD 583

207.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 439

$2.47 JMD 387

13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 641

$2.48 JMD 389

64.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.97 JMD 152

-21.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.96 JMD 5,949

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 183

$0.93 JMD 145

25.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 503

$3.12 JMD 488

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 JMD 980

$6.44 JMD 1,009

-2.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 222

$1.40 JMD 219

1.43%

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

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

$43.9K JMD 6.9M

1.58%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

1.38%

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

$172 JMD 27.0K

$115 JMD 18.0K

50.16%

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

$29.30 JMD 4,592

$29.15 JMD 4,568

0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 JMD 8,167

$18.98 JMD 2,975

174.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 JMD 9,658

$31.78 JMD 4,980

93.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 JMD 2,841

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,068

$13.26 JMD 2,078

-0.53%

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

$362 JMD 56.7K

$360 JMD 56.5K

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,377 JMD 1.3M

$8,162 JMD 1.3M

2.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 JMD 3,681

$24.03 JMD 3,765

-2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 JMD 5,037

$31.60 JMD 4,952

1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 JMD 12.5K

$78.9 JMD 12.4K

1.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$105 JMD 16.4K

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 JMD 153.8K

$219 JMD 34.4K

347.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 JMD 88.7K

$160 JMD 25.0K

254.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 JMD 333.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 JMD 216.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,880 JMD 451.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,071 JMD 324.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 JMD 115.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

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

Last update for Kingston: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bull Bay: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Kingston versus $219 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 $75.0 in Kingston versus $76.0 in Bull Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Kingston vs $234 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: $1,706 in Kingston, $931 in Bull Bay – roughly 83% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,558 per month in Kingston and $1,396 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 $1,706 in Kingston and $931 in Bull Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $362 per month in Kingston and $360 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 $931, than in Kingston at $1,706. 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.