Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Jonesboro, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Jonesboro, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,482 in Kingston versus $1,952 in Jonesboro, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Kingston versus $3,128 in Jonesboro, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Kingston versus $4,304 in Jonesboro, AR.

Living in Kingston costs roughly 24% less than in Jonesboro, AR, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston 11% above, Jonesboro, AR 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,177

$14.81 $14.81

-49.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,732

$49.82 $49.82

23.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,354

$8.66 $8.66

-0.92%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 693

$4.15 $4.15

5.78%

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

$1.33 JMD 209

$2.19 $2.19

-39.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$1.72 $1.72

-56.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 384

$3.98 $3.98

-38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 490

$6.16 $6.16

-49.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 683

$0.94 $0.94

360.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 551

$2.88 $2.88

21.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 JMD 258

$2.08 $2.08

-21.15%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 569

$3.26 $3.26

10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,767

$4.52 $4.52

147.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,018

$5.47 $5.47

17.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,233

$7.67 $7.67

1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 946

$4.53 $4.53

32.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 470

$1.28 $1.28

132.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 664

$2.17 $2.17

94.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 457

$3.60 $3.60

-19.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

$1.59 $1.59

27.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 316

$2.15 $2.15

-6.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 476

$1.97 $1.97

52.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 238

$1.97 $1.97

-23.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,359

$6.88 $6.88

25.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,810

$11.88 $11.88

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$1.74 $1.74

59.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

$3.47 $3.47

-12.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

$1.03 $1.03

-21.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,760

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$3.06 $3.06

-64.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$1.48 $1.48

117.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 1,000

$35.60 $35.60

-82.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 196

$0.68 $0.68

82.35%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

$29.7K $29.7K

46.54%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$26.1K $26.1K

30.77%

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

$161 JMD 25.4K

$215 $215

-25.33%

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

$22.24 JMD 3,509

$68.4 $68.4

-67.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,202

$72.2 $72.2

-28.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

$37.24 $37.24

85.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,511

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,111

$11.99 $11.99

11.59%

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

$222 JMD 35.1K

$770 $770

-71.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.6K

$23.0K $23.0K

-89.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.81 JMD 4,073

$51.5 $51.5

-49.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 JMD 4,022

$33.23 $33.23

-23.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

$69.9 $69.9

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$102 $102

-26.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.8K

$1,203 $1,203

-26.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.2K

$878 $878

-48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 JMD 316.6K

$1,312 $1,312

52.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 187.5K

$2,221 $2,221

-46.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 452.2K

$1,552 $1,552

84.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.8K

$1,549 $1,549

38.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.5K

$3,331 $3,331

-78.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

6.45

41.86%

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

Last update for Kingston: July 11, 2026

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $1,203 in Jonesboro, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jonesboro, AR pays 355% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $62.0 in Kingston vs $50.0 in Jonesboro, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $260 per month, with Jonesboro, AR 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 Jonesboro, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 355% lower in Jonesboro, AR. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Kingston versus $1,203 in Jonesboro, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Kingston versus $770 in Jonesboro, AR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kingston – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $50.0 in Jonesboro, AR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,482 in Kingston versus $1,952 in Jonesboro, AR, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Jonesboro, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Kingston 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 Kingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.