Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Mandeville Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Mandeville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,482 in Kingston versus $765 in Mandeville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Kingston versus $1,279 in Mandeville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Kingston versus $1,794 in Mandeville.

Living in Kingston is roughly 94% more expensive than in Mandeville, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 11% above, Mandeville is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,177

$6.17 JMD 974

20.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,732

$63.0 JMD 9,933

-2.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,354

$8.63 JMD 1,362

-0.58%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 693

$2.16 JMD 341

103.24%

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

$1.33 JMD 209

$0.99 JMD 156

34.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.72 JMD 113

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 384

$2.21 JMD 348

9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 490

$2.79 JMD 441

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 683

$4.30 JMD 678

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 551

$2.15 JMD 339

62.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 JMD 258

$1.61 JMD 255

1.86%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 569

$3.47 JMD 547

4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,767

$11.22 JMD 1,771

-0.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,018

$6.46 JMD 1,020

-0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,233

$7.83 JMD 1,235

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 946

$6.00 JMD 947

-0.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 470

$3.10 JMD 490

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 664

$4.14 JMD 654

1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 457

$2.90 JMD 458

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

$2.08 JMD 329

-2.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 316

$2.03 JMD 320

-1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 476

$2.99 JMD 472

0.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 238

$1.49 JMD 234

1.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,359

$8.26 JMD 1,303

4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,810

$11.18 JMD 1,765

2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$2.76 JMD 436

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

$3.09 JMD 488

-1.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,760

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.12 JMD 177

-2.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$3.21 JMD 506

0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 1,000

$6.10 JMD 963

3.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 196

$1.23 JMD 195

0.81%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

1.96%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

1.00%

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

$161 JMD 25.4K

$92.9 JMD 14.7K

73.18%

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

$22.24 JMD 3,509

$22.15 JMD 3,495

0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,202

$50.3 JMD 7,943

3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,511

$10.77 JMD 1,700

47.73%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,111

$13.21 JMD 2,085

1.29%

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

$222 JMD 35.1K

$226 JMD 35.7K

-1.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.6K

$2,532 JMD 399.5K

0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.81 JMD 4,073

$26.32 JMD 4,153

-1.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 JMD 4,022

$26.02 JMD 4,105

-2.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

-1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$76.4 JMD 12.1K

-1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.8K

$463 JMD 73.0K

90.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 JMD 316.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 187.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 452.2K

$1,768 JMD 279.0K

62.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.5K

$497 JMD 78.4K

47.28%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $463 in Mandeville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 47% 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 $63.0 in Mandeville. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $336, with Mandeville 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 Mandeville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandeville wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandeville the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 47% higher in Kingston, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Kingston versus $463 in Mandeville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,482 per month in Kingston versus $765 in Mandeville – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $765 in Mandeville versus $1,482 in Kingston, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mandeville but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Mandeville 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.

Safety-wise, Kingston and Mandeville are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mandeville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.