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: $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,895 in Jonesboro, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Kingston versus $3,182 in Jonesboro, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,498 in Kingston versus $4,469 in Jonesboro, AR.

Living in Kingston costs roughly 23% less than in Jonesboro, AR, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston 8% above, Jonesboro, AR 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 JMD 1,194

$15.02 $15.02

-49.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,724

$49.23 $49.23

25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 JMD 1,382

$8.31 $8.31

5.90%

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 684

$4.28 $4.28

1.87%

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

$1.32 JMD 207

$2.29 $2.29

-42.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$1.80 $1.80

-58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 404

$3.90 $3.90

-34.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$6.02 $6.02

-46.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 685

$0.98 $0.98

344.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 574

$2.86 $2.86

27.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 247

$2.11 $2.11

-25.59%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 544

$3.30 $3.30

5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 JMD 1,757

$4.37 $4.37

156.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 JMD 1,008

$5.42 $5.42

18.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,227

$7.88 $7.88

-0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 935

$4.46 $4.46

33.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 492

$1.22 $1.22

156.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 JMD 674

$2.16 $2.16

99.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 465

$3.58 $3.58

-17.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 318

$1.66 $1.66

22.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$2.14 $2.14

-6.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 490

$1.96 $1.96

59.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 227

$1.94 $1.94

-25.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 JMD 1,396

$6.89 $6.89

29.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,772

$11.77 $11.77

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 455

$1.68 $1.68

72.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 503

$3.56 $3.56

-10.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

$1.02 $1.02

-12.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.53 JMD 7,617

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$3.07 $3.07

-63.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 495

$1.49 $1.49

111.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 972

$35.55 $35.55

-82.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$0.72 $0.72

77.78%

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$29.7K $29.7K

45.33%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$26.7K $26.7K

26.61%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$219 $219

-25.73%

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

$22.49 JMD 3,530

$66.8 $66.8

-66.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,956

$73.6 $73.6

-31.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

$36.70 $36.70

89.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 JMD 2,433

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,028

$12.01 $12.01

7.58%

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

$222 JMD 34.9K

$779 $779

-71.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,451 JMD 384.7K

$23.6K $23.6K

-89.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.73 JMD 4,039

$52.7 $52.7

-51.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 JMD 3,962

$33.48 $33.48

-24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

$69.9 $69.9

3.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 JMD 11.9K

$98.1 $98.1

-22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.2K

$1,212 $1,212

-27.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 70.8K

$891 $891

-49.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 317.3K

$1,312 $1,312

54.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 JMD 189.0K

$2,196 $2,196

-45.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 JMD 449.3K

$1,557 $1,557

83.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 JMD 344.1K

$1,540 $1,540

42.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 114.9K

$3,402 $3,402

-78.48%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $1,212 in Jonesboro, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jonesboro, AR pays 365% 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 $49.00 in Jonesboro, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Jonesboro, AR earns 365% less. 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 $1,212 in Jonesboro, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Kingston versus $779 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 $49.00 in Jonesboro, AR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,895 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 31% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.