Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Montego Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Montego Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,706 in Kingston versus $1,166 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Kingston versus $2,151 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,988 in Kingston versus $3,136 in Montego Bay.

Living in Kingston is roughly 46% more expensive than in Montego Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 25% above, Montego Bay is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 JMD 2,509

$11.17 JMD 1,753

43.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 JMD 11.8K

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

-2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 JMD 1,359

$8.69 JMD 1,363

-0.35%

Cappuccino

$5.31 JMD 833

$5.50 JMD 863

-3.45%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$0.94 JMD 147

27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 JMD 106

$0.70 JMD 110

-4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 JMD 344

$2.27 JMD 356

-3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 503

$3.08 JMD 483

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.10 JMD 643

$3.40 JMD 534

20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 JMD 610

$2.70 JMD 424

44.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 249

$1.40 JMD 220

13.57%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 557

$3.60 JMD 565

-1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 JMD 1,832

$11.30 JMD 1,773

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,011

$6.25 JMD 981

3.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 JMD 1,607

$9.17 JMD 1,438

11.67%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 970

$4.18 JMD 656

47.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.87 JMD 608

$2.50 JMD 392

54.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,176

$7.53 JMD 1,181

-0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 482

$2.48 JMD 388

23.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 528

$2.47 JMD 388

36.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 JMD 427

$2.74 JMD 430

-0.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 490

$2.53 JMD 397

23.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$0.83 JMD 130

83.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.54 JMD 1,497

$9.48 JMD 1,487

0.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 JMD 1,793

$11.31 JMD 1,774

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 440

$2.84 JMD 445

-1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 641

$3.92 JMD 614

4.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.92 JMD 144

-17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.96 JMD 5,955

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 183

$0.96 JMD 151

21.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 504

$3.16 JMD 496

1.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 JMD 981

$6.28 JMD 984

-0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 223

$1.33 JMD 209

6.77%

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

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

-0.78%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-1.02%

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

$172 JMD 27.1K

$176 JMD 27.6K

-1.89%

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

$29.30 JMD 4,596

$22.70 JMD 3,561

29.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 JMD 8,176

$48.70 JMD 7,640

7.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 JMD 9,668

$43.86 JMD 6,881

40.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 JMD 2,844

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,070

$8.53 JMD 1,338

54.63%

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

$362 JMD 56.7K

$362 JMD 56.8K

-0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,377 JMD 1.3M

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

2.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 JMD 3,685

$23.95 JMD 3,757

-1.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 JMD 5,042

$31.22 JMD 4,899

2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 JMD 12.5K

$69.3 JMD 10.9K

15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$103 JMD 16.1K

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 JMD 153.9K

$315 JMD 49.4K

211.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 JMD 88.8K

$221 JMD 34.7K

156.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 JMD 334.2K

$964 JMD 151.2K

121.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 JMD 217.1K

$969 JMD 152.1K

42.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,880 JMD 451.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,071 JMD 324.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 JMD 116.0K

$605 JMD 94.9K

22.15%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Kingston and $315 in Montego Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 22% 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: $75.0 in Kingston vs $77.0 in Montego Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $389 vs $330, with Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montego Bay wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montego Bay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $981 in Kingston versus $315 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,706 per month in Kingston versus $1,166 in Montego Bay – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,166 in Montego Bay versus $1,706 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Montego Bay but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.