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: $1,468 in Kingston versus $896 in Lucea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,461 in Kingston versus $1,463 in Lucea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,454 in Kingston versus $2,029 in Lucea.

Living in Kingston is roughly 64% more expensive than in Lucea, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 10% above, Lucea is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 JMD 1,197

$7.33 JMD 1,154

3.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 JMD 9,701

$61.8 JMD 9,731

-0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,347

$8.79 JMD 1,385

-2.62%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$4.45 JMD 700

-3.15%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$1.36 JMD 214

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.71 JMD 111

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$2.47 JMD 389

-1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

$3.10 JMD 488

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.38 JMD 690

$4.30 JMD 677

1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 JMD 574

$3.64 JMD 573

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 245

$1.55 JMD 244

0.65%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 545

$3.48 JMD 548

-0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 JMD 1,736

$11.01 JMD 1,734

0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,017

$6.41 JMD 1,009

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 JMD 1,189

$7.61 JMD 1,199

-0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 JMD 923

$6.19 JMD 975

-5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 488

$3.03 JMD 477

2.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 652

$4.33 JMD 681

-4.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 479

$3.00 JMD 473

1.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$2.02 JMD 318

3.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 JMD 482

$2.99 JMD 471

2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 JMD 233

$1.46 JMD 230

1.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 JMD 1,407

$8.95 JMD 1,409

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 JMD 1,793

$11.43 JMD 1,799

-0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 442

$2.77 JMD 437

1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 501

$3.04 JMD 479

4.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 127

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.50 JMD 7,638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

$1.12 JMD 176

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 513

$3.15 JMD 496

3.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 979

$6.09 JMD 959

2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.23 JMD 193

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

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

$42.5K JMD 6.7M

-0.98%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-2.23%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$166 JMD 26.2K

-0.85%

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

$22.23 JMD 3,501

$21.98 JMD 3,462

1.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 JMD 8,057

$52.0 JMD 8,184

-1.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 JMD 2,449

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,074

$12.89 JMD 2,030

2.17%

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

$229 JMD 36.1K

$228 JMD 36.0K

0.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,465 JMD 388.2K

$2,494 JMD 392.7K

-1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.76 JMD 4,057

$25.81 JMD 4,064

-0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.21 JMD 3,970

$25.64 JMD 4,038

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 JMD 11.0K

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

-3.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-2.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 JMD 138.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 JMD 318.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 JMD 191.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,815 JMD 443.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,200 JMD 346.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Lucea: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Kingston vs $62.0 in Lucea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 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 64% 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 $2,202 in Kingston and $1,344 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 $1,468 per month in Kingston versus $896 in Lucea – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $896 in Lucea versus $1,468 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 64% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.