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: $1,468 in Kingston versus $880 in Cave Valley.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,461 in Kingston versus $1,428 in Cave Valley.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,454 in Kingston versus $1,977 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 10% above, Cave Valley is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 JMD 1,197

$7.37 JMD 1,160

3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 JMD 9,701

$63.1 JMD 9,937

-2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,347

$8.54 JMD 1,345

0.23%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$4.36 JMD 686

-1.15%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$1.38 JMD 217

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.69 JMD 109

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$2.55 JMD 402

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

$3.04 JMD 479

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.38 JMD 690

$4.34 JMD 683

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 JMD 574

$3.52 JMD 555

3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 245

$1.56 JMD 246

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 545

$3.43 JMD 540

0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 JMD 1,736

$11.15 JMD 1,755

-1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,017

$6.18 JMD 973

4.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 JMD 1,189

$7.57 JMD 1,193

-0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 JMD 923

$6.16 JMD 971

-4.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 488

$3.02 JMD 476

2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 652

$4.29 JMD 676

-3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 479

$3.02 JMD 475

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$2.05 JMD 323

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.01 JMD 317

-3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 JMD 482

$3.08 JMD 485

-0.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 JMD 233

$1.51 JMD 237

-1.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 JMD 1,407

$8.96 JMD 1,411

-0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 JMD 1,793

$11.15 JMD 1,756

2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 442

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 501

$3.06 JMD 481

3.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 127

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.50 JMD 7,638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

$1.13 JMD 178

-1.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 513

$3.22 JMD 507

0.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 979

$6.11 JMD 961

1.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.27 JMD 200

-3.15%

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

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-3.74%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-2.05%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$161 JMD 25.3K

2.53%

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

$22.23 JMD 3,501

$22.42 JMD 3,531

-0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 JMD 8,057

$51.5 JMD 8,107

-0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 JMD 2,449

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,074

$13.12 JMD 2,066

0.38%

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

$229 JMD 36.1K

$229 JMD 36.0K

0.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,465 JMD 388.2K

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

-2.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.76 JMD 4,057

$26.14 JMD 4,116

-1.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.21 JMD 3,970

$25.18 JMD 3,965

0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 JMD 11.0K

$70.3 JMD 11.1K

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 JMD 138.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 JMD 318.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 JMD 191.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,815 JMD 443.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,200 JMD 346.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 JMD 118.7K

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 19, 2026

Last update for Cave Valley: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Kingston vs $63.0 in Cave Valley. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $350, with Cave Valley cheaper for home cooking.

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 ($1,468 vs $880 including rent). Cave Valley is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,202 in Kingston and $1,320 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 $1,468 per month in Kingston versus $880 in Cave Valley – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $880 in Cave Valley versus $1,468 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.