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: $1,451 in Kingston versus $765 in Mandeville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Kingston versus $1,284 in Mandeville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,498 in Kingston versus $1,803 in Mandeville.

Living in Kingston is roughly 90% more expensive than Mandeville, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 8% above, Mandeville is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 JMD 1,192

$6.14 JMD 963

23.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,707

$63.5 JMD 9,952

-2.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 JMD 1,379

$8.94 JMD 1,401

-1.57%

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 682

$2.14 JMD 336

103.74%

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

$1.32 JMD 207

$0.98 JMD 153

34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.76 JMD 120

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 403

$2.25 JMD 352

14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 501

$2.77 JMD 435

15.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 684

$4.23 JMD 663

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 573

$2.08 JMD 326

75.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 246

$1.57 JMD 245

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 543

$3.53 JMD 554

-1.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 JMD 1,754

$11.21 JMD 1,757

-0.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 JMD 1,007

$6.32 JMD 991

1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,225

$7.60 JMD 1,190

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 933

$6.08 JMD 952

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 491

$2.99 JMD 469

4.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 JMD 673

$4.15 JMD 650

3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 464

$3.00 JMD 470

-1.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 317

$2.02 JMD 316

0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$1.98 JMD 310

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 489

$2.97 JMD 465

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 227

$1.49 JMD 234

-2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 JMD 1,393

$8.34 JMD 1,306

6.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,769

$11.61 JMD 1,819

-2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 454

$2.91 JMD 456

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$3.22 JMD 505

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.53 JMD 7,604

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 176

$1.09 JMD 170

2.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 494

$3.09 JMD 484

1.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 971

$6.12 JMD 959

1.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.28 JMD 200

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

0.34%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$33.5K JMD 5.2M

0.80%

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

$163 JMD 25.5K

$93.0 JMD 14.6K

75.00%

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

$22.49 JMD 3,523

$21.59 JMD 3,383

4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,942

$50.3 JMD 7,874

0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 JMD 2,428

$10.81 JMD 1,694

43.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,024

$12.90 JMD 2,022

0.16%

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

$222 JMD 34.8K

$228 JMD 35.6K

-2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,451 JMD 384.0K

$2,457 JMD 384.9K

-0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.73 JMD 4,032

$26.55 JMD 4,160

-3.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 JMD 3,955

$25.78 JMD 4,039

-2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.3K

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 JMD 11.8K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 137.9K

$470 JMD 73.6K

87.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 70.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 316.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 JMD 188.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 JMD 448.5K

$1,799 JMD 281.9K

59.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 JMD 343.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 114.7K

$511 JMD 80.0K

43.42%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $470 in Mandeville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 43% 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 $64.0 in Mandeville. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $335, 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 90% 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.

Kingston pays 43% more on average, 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 $470 in Mandeville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,451 per month in Kingston versus $765 in Mandeville – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $765 in Mandeville versus $1,451 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 90% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.