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: $1,702 in Kingston versus $810 in Mandeville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Kingston versus $1,410 in Mandeville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Kingston versus $2,011 in Mandeville.

Living in Kingston is roughly 110% more expensive than in Mandeville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 23% above, Mandeville is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.79 JMD 2,481

$6.21 JMD 975

154.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$73.7 JMD 11.6K

2.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,345

$8.94 JMD 1,404

-4.25%

Cappuccino

$5.40 JMD 848

$2.20 JMD 345

145.45%

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

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.08 JMD 170

14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 109

$0.74 JMD 116

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.15 JMD 338

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$2.91 JMD 457

9.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.25 JMD 667

$4.12 JMD 648

3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$1.87 JMD 293

96.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.60 JMD 251

1.25%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 540

$3.62 JMD 569

-4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 JMD 1,822

$11.30 JMD 1,775

2.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

$6.50 JMD 1,020

-1.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$10.33 JMD 1,623

-1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 967

$6.25 JMD 982

-1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$4.00 JMD 629

$3.86 JMD 607

3.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$7.40 JMD 1,163

-1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 JMD 467

$3.14 JMD 493

-5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 JMD 511

$3.26 JMD 512

-0.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 JMD 424

$2.69 JMD 422

0.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.11 JMD 489

1.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 233

$1.52 JMD 239

-1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 JMD 1,440

$8.13 JMD 1,276

12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$11.35 JMD 1,783

-1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 442

$2.85 JMD 448

-1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 JMD 621

$4.11 JMD 646

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 127

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 JMD 5,946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.19 JMD 187

3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 486

$3.13 JMD 491

-0.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 JMD 979

$6.22 JMD 977

0.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 218

$1.35 JMD 212

2.96%

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

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

2.71%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-1.10%

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

$178 JMD 28.0K

$94.0 JMD 14.8K

89.33%

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

$29.81 JMD 4,682

$21.95 JMD 3,448

35.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 JMD 8,241

$50.7 JMD 7,964

3.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 JMD 9,598

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.79 JMD 2,794

$10.94 JMD 1,719

62.61%

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 JMD 2,065

$13.03 JMD 2,047

0.92%

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

$357 JMD 56.1K

$369 JMD 58.0K

-3.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

$8,155 JMD 1.3M

0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.41 JMD 3,678

$24.13 JMD 3,791

-2.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 JMD 4,919

$31.52 JMD 4,952

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

-1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$103 JMD 16.3K

-1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 JMD 150.1K

$466 JMD 73.3K

104.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 JMD 88.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 JMD 337.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 JMD 224.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,887 JMD 453.5K

$1,779 JMD 279.4K

62.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 JMD 328.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 JMD 116.9K

$497 JMD 78.1K

49.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kingston: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Kingston and $466 in Mandeville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 50% 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: $76.0 in Kingston vs $74.0 in Mandeville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $369 per month, with Mandeville 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 Mandeville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandeville wins on cost – living expenses run 110% 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 50% 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: $955 in Kingston versus $466 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 $1,702 per month in Kingston versus $810 in Mandeville – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Mandeville versus $1,702 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 110% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.