Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Dhahran Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Dhahran

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Kingston vs $1,332 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Kingston vs $2,029 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,498 per month in Kingston vs $2,725 in Dhahran, rent included.

Kingston costs about 9% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 8% above the global median, while Dhahran is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 JMD 1,192

$5.23 SAR 19.64

45.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,707

$40.50 SAR 152

52.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 JMD 1,379

$7.14 SAR 26.78

23.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 682

$3.77 SAR 14.14

15.65%

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

$1.32 JMD 207

$0.74 SAR 2.78

78.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.17 SAR 0.63

335.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 403

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 501

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 684

$1.49 SAR 5.60

192.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 573

$1.17 SAR 4.39

212.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 246

$2.18 SAR 8.18

-27.98%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 543

$2.39 SAR 8.98

45.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 JMD 1,754

$6.83 SAR 25.62

63.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 JMD 1,007

$8.84 SAR 33.18

-27.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,225

$13.50 SAR 50.7

-42.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 933

$2.24 SAR 8.41

166.07%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 491

$1.38 SAR 5.20

126.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 JMD 673

$1.63 SAR 6.11

163.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 464

$1.37 SAR 5.13

116.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 317

$1.23 SAR 4.63

65.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$0.89 SAR 3.34

125.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 489

$1.10 SAR 4.14

183.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 227

$0.57 SAR 2.15

154.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 JMD 1,393

$9.52 SAR 35.72

-6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,769

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 454

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-15.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.53 JMD 7,604

$40.72 SAR 153

19.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 176

$1.35 SAR 5.08

-17.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 494

$2.45 SAR 9.18

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 971

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-54.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$0.65 SAR 2.43

96.92%

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

33.10%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

39.15%

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

$163 JMD 25.5K

$104 SAR 391

56.36%

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

$22.49 JMD 3,523

$36.18 SAR 136

-37.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,942

$73.6 SAR 276

-31.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

$183 SAR 688

-62.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 JMD 2,428

$36.00 SAR 135

-56.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,024

$11.90 SAR 44.66

8.57%

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

$222 JMD 34.8K

$414 SAR 1,553

-46.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,451 JMD 384.0K

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

-75.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.73 JMD 4,032

$59.4 SAR 223

-56.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 JMD 3,955

$76.7 SAR 288

-67.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.3K

$84.4 SAR 317

-14.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 JMD 11.8K

$97.8 SAR 367

-22.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 137.9K

$439 SAR 1,648

100.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 70.7K

$383 SAR 1,436

17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 316.7K

$836 SAR 3,138

141.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 JMD 188.7K

$615 SAR 2,308

95.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 JMD 448.5K

$1,110 SAR 4,166

157.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 JMD 343.5K

$1,066 SAR 3,999

105.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 114.7K

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

-74.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

4.42

107.01%

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

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Kingston versus $439 in Dhahran. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 295% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Kingston versus $41.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $200 – making Dhahran 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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston costs about 9% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,177 per month in Kingston and $1,998 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, 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 $1,451 in Kingston and $1,332 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Dhahran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,332, than in Kingston at $1,451. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhahran – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dhahran. 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.