Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Green Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Green Island

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,702 in Kingston versus $1,030 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Kingston versus $1,692 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Kingston versus $2,353 in Green Island.

Living in Kingston is roughly 65% more expensive than in Green Island, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 23% above, Green Island is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.79 JMD 2,481

$15.56 JMD 2,444

1.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$74.6 JMD 11.7K

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,345

$8.92 JMD 1,401

-4.04%

Cappuccino

$5.40 JMD 848

$5.43 JMD 852

-0.55%

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

$1.24 JMD 195

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 109

$0.68 JMD 107

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.15 JMD 337

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$3.08 JMD 484

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.25 JMD 667

$4.06 JMD 638

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$3.80 JMD 596

-3.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.65 JMD 259

-1.82%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 540

$3.50 JMD 549

-1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 JMD 1,822

$11.23 JMD 1,764

3.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

$6.34 JMD 996

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$10.14 JMD 1,594

0.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 967

$6.09 JMD 957

1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$4.00 JMD 629

$4.01 JMD 629

-0.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$7.45 JMD 1,170

-2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 JMD 467

$3.00 JMD 471

-1.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 JMD 511

$3.24 JMD 508

0.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 JMD 424

$2.63 JMD 414

2.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.14 JMD 493

0.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 233

$1.52 JMD 239

-1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 JMD 1,440

$9.61 JMD 1,509

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$11.46 JMD 1,800

-2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 442

$2.84 JMD 447

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 JMD 621

$4.03 JMD 633

-1.99%

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

$1.22 JMD 191

0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 486

$3.23 JMD 508

-4.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 JMD 979

$6.13 JMD 963

1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 218

$1.40 JMD 220

-0.71%

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

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

-0.91%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-0.35%

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

$178 JMD 28.0K

$173 JMD 27.2K

2.95%

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

$29.81 JMD 4,682

$29.14 JMD 4,578

2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 JMD 8,241

$54.0 JMD 8,474

-2.74%

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

$13.47 JMD 2,116

-2.38%

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

$357 JMD 56.1K

$358 JMD 56.2K

-0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

$8,105 JMD 1.3M

0.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.41 JMD 3,678

$23.80 JMD 3,739

-1.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 JMD 4,919

$31.78 JMD 4,991

-1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$104 JMD 16.4K

-2.64%

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 Green Island: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $76.0 in Kingston vs $75.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $385 per month, with Green Island 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 Green Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston and Green Island differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,702 vs $1,030 including rent). Green Island 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 $1,545 in Green Island 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 $1,030 in Green Island – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,030 in Green Island versus $1,702 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island 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 Green Island gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.