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: $1,461 in Kingston versus $883 in Lucea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Kingston versus $1,451 in Lucea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,432 in Kingston versus $2,020 in Lucea.

Living in Kingston is roughly 66% 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

$7.37 JMD 1,167

$7.62 JMD 1,207

-3.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 JMD 9,795

$61.8 JMD 9,778

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 JMD 1,407

$8.56 JMD 1,355

3.86%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 695

$4.28 JMD 678

2.57%

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

$1.38 JMD 218

$1.37 JMD 217

0.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.70 JMD 111

1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 387

$2.52 JMD 399

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 500

$3.07 JMD 485

2.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 686

$4.43 JMD 702

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 579

$3.48 JMD 551

5.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 249

Eggs

$3.43 JMD 543

$3.43 JMD 542

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 JMD 1,717

$11.25 JMD 1,781

-3.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,033

$6.49 JMD 1,027

0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 JMD 1,177

$7.52 JMD 1,191

-1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 JMD 965

$5.96 JMD 943

2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 488

$3.10 JMD 491

-0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 JMD 653

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 JMD 462

$3.05 JMD 482

-4.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 319

$2.02 JMD 319

-0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 314

$1.93 JMD 305

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 473

$3.09 JMD 488

-3.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 230

$1.43 JMD 226

2.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 JMD 1,367

$9.01 JMD 1,426

-4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,790

$11.51 JMD 1,821

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 JMD 453

$2.90 JMD 458

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 508

$3.22 JMD 509

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 JMD 137

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.18 JMD 7,626

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 178

$1.09 JMD 172

2.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 514

$3.15 JMD 499

3.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,018

$6.19 JMD 980

3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 JMD 194

$1.24 JMD 196

-1.61%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

$42.9K JMD 6.8M

1.13%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-1.42%

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

$160 JMD 25.4K

$166 JMD 26.3K

-3.48%

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

$21.77 JMD 3,445

$21.82 JMD 3,453

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 JMD 8,096

$51.4 JMD 8,139

-0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 JMD 2,485

Cinema Ticket

$12.94 JMD 2,049

$12.99 JMD 2,056

-0.38%

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

$230 JMD 36.5K

$225 JMD 35.7K

2.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 387.7K

$2,461 JMD 389.6K

-0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.54 JMD 4,200

$26.31 JMD 4,164

0.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.83 JMD 4,087

$25.70 JMD 4,068

0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$71.8 JMD 11.4K

0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

$75.7 JMD 12.0K

1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 140.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 JMD 71.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 319.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 188.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,809 JMD 444.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 JMD 354.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 JMD 118.7K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Lucea: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $886 in Kingston and $0 in Lucea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62 in Kingston vs $62 in Lucea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $351 per month, with Kingston 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 Lucea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucea wins on cost – living expenses run 66% 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 $2,192 in Kingston and $1,324 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.

Shoppers in Kingston pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,461 per month in Kingston versus $883 in Lucea – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $883 in Lucea versus $1,461 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 66% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.