Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Lucea Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Lucea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,454 in Kingston versus $892 in Lucea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,432 in Kingston versus $1,422 in Lucea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,409 in Kingston versus $1,951 in Lucea.

Living in Kingston is roughly 63% more expensive than Lucea, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 8% above, Lucea is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

$7.72 JMD 1,214

-2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 JMD 9,964

$63.4 JMD 9,970

-0.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 JMD 1,378

$8.55 JMD 1,345

2.46%

Cappuccino

$4.44 JMD 699

$4.26 JMD 670

4.23%

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

$1.31 JMD 206

$1.38 JMD 217

-5.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 JMD 109

$0.71 JMD 112

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 404

$2.56 JMD 402

0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 485

$3.05 JMD 480

0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.32 JMD 680

$4.40 JMD 692

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 JMD 557

$3.58 JMD 564

-1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 253

$1.56 JMD 245

3.21%

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 550

$3.59 JMD 565

-2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 JMD 1,746

$10.88 JMD 1,711

2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JMD 1,022

$6.37 JMD 1,002

2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 JMD 1,225

$7.75 JMD 1,218

0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 JMD 967

$5.90 JMD 928

4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$3.10 JMD 487

-1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 JMD 681

$4.28 JMD 673

1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 472

$3.06 JMD 482

-1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 JMD 322

$2.10 JMD 330

-2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 301

$1.93 JMD 303

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 492

$3.06 JMD 482

2.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$1.46 JMD 229

-0.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 JMD 1,416

$8.89 JMD 1,398

1.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 JMD 1,824

$11.31 JMD 1,778

2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 JMD 450

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 485

$3.16 JMD 498

-2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.88 JMD 7,845

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 JMD 170

$1.13 JMD 177

-4.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 497

$3.19 JMD 502

-0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 JMD 971

$6.13 JMD 964

0.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.23 JMD 193

0.81%

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

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

0.18%

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

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-2.01%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$165 JMD 26.0K

-0.29%

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

$21.76 JMD 3,423

$22.15 JMD 3,485

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 JMD 8,163

$50.6 JMD 7,959

2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.47 JMD 2,434

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,078

$13.28 JMD 2,089

-0.53%

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

$228 JMD 35.9K

$222 JMD 34.9K

2.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,456 JMD 386.3K

$2,446 JMD 384.7K

0.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.42 JMD 4,156

$26.37 JMD 4,148

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.61 JMD 4,028

$25.81 JMD 4,059

-0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$72.2 JMD 11.3K

-3.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 139.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 JMD 70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 JMD 313.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 JMD 190.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,824 JMD 444.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,167 JMD 340.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 JMD 118.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lucea: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Kingston vs $63.0 in Lucea. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $352, with Lucea 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 Lucea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucea wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lucea the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,180 in Kingston and $1,338 in Lucea 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 $1,454 per month in Kingston versus $892 in Lucea – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Lucea versus $1,454 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lucea but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Lucea 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 Lucea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.