Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Cave Valley Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Cave Valley

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,702 in Kingston versus $1,021 in Cave Valley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Kingston versus $1,721 in Cave Valley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Kingston versus $2,420 in Cave Valley.

Living in Kingston is roughly 67% more expensive than in Cave Valley, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 23% above, Cave Valley is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.79 JMD 2,481

$15.72 JMD 2,469

0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,345

$9.06 JMD 1,423

-5.52%

Cappuccino

$5.40 JMD 848

$5.28 JMD 829

2.27%

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

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.20 JMD 189

3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 109

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.15 JMD 338

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$3.15 JMD 494

0.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.25 JMD 667

$4.26 JMD 670

-0.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$3.82 JMD 599

-3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.64 JMD 258

-1.22%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 540

$3.47 JMD 545

-0.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 JMD 1,822

$11.52 JMD 1,809

0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

$6.24 JMD 980

2.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$10.41 JMD 1,636

-2.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 967

$5.92 JMD 930

4.05%

Banana (1kg)

$4.00 JMD 629

$3.79 JMD 596

5.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$7.50 JMD 1,178

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 JMD 467

$3.08 JMD 484

-3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 JMD 511

$3.24 JMD 509

0.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 JMD 424

$2.59 JMD 406

4.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.03 JMD 476

3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 233

$1.46 JMD 229

2.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 JMD 1,440

$9.71 JMD 1,526

-5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$11.32 JMD 1,778

-1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 442

$2.80 JMD 440

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 JMD 621

$4.11 JMD 646

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 127

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 JMD 5,946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 486

$3.07 JMD 482

0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 JMD 979

$6.35 JMD 997

-1.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 218

$1.37 JMD 215

1.46%

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

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

$43.5K JMD 6.8M

2.32%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

1.70%

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

$178 JMD 28.0K

$177 JMD 27.7K

0.82%

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

$29.81 JMD 4,682

$29.97 JMD 4,707

-0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 JMD 8,241

$53.9 JMD 8,471

-2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 JMD 9,598

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.79 JMD 2,794

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 JMD 2,065

$13.18 JMD 2,070

-0.23%

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

$357 JMD 56.1K

$362 JMD 56.8K

-1.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

$8,365 JMD 1.3M

-2.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.41 JMD 3,678

$23.31 JMD 3,661

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 JMD 4,919

$31.22 JMD 4,903

0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$102 JMD 16.1K

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 JMD 150.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 JMD 337.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 JMD 224.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,887 JMD 453.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 JMD 328.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 JMD 116.9K

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 5, 2026

Last update for Cave Valley: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $76.0 in Kingston vs $75.0 in Cave Valley for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $385 per month, with Cave Valley cheaper across the board.

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 Cave Valley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston and Cave Valley differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,702 vs $1,021 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,554 in Kingston and $1,532 in Cave Valley to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,702 per month in Kingston versus $1,021 in Cave Valley – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,021 in Cave Valley versus $1,702 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cave Valley but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Cave Valley the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cave Valley gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.