Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Msida Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Msida

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,887 in Msida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Kingston versus $2,830 in Msida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,498 in Kingston versus $3,773 in Msida.

Living in Kingston costs roughly 23% less than in Msida, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston 8% above, Msida 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 JMD 1,196

$11.49 €9.90

-33.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,741

$68.3 €58.8

-9.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 JMD 1,384

$11.24 €9.68

-21.71%

Cappuccino

$4.36 JMD 685

$2.35 €2.02

85.53%

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

$1.32 JMD 207

$1.70 €1.46

-22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$1.00 €0.86

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 404

$4.03 €3.47

-36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$4.08 €3.51

-21.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 686

$1.34 €1.15

225.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 575

$1.31 €1.13

179.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 247

$3.54 €3.05

-55.65%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 545

$3.94 €3.39

-11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 JMD 1,760

$9.43 €8.12

18.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 JMD 1,010

$8.87 €7.64

-27.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,229

$15.17 €13.06

-48.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 937

$4.33 €3.73

37.64%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 492

$3.20 €2.75

-2.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 JMD 676

$3.23 €2.78

33.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 465

$3.79 €3.27

-21.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$2.61 €2.25

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 316

$1.35 €1.16

48.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 490

$2.41 €2.07

29.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$1.20 €1.04

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 JMD 1,398

$6.62 €5.70

34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,775

$8.44 €7.27

33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JMD 455

$1.84 €1.59

57.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 504

$2.32 €2.00

37.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

$2.00 €1.73

-55.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.53 JMD 7,630

$30.29 €26.09

60.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$5.75 €4.95

-80.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 496

$4.08 €3.51

-22.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 JMD 974

$48.59 €41.84

-87.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 202

$1.57 €1.35

-18.47%

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$38.2K €32.9K

13.17%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$38.3K €33.0K

-11.90%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$85.9 €74.0

89.59%

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

$22.49 JMD 3,536

$27.84 €23.97

-19.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,970

$32.07 €27.62

58.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

$39.75 €34.23

74.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 JMD 2,437

$23.09 €19.88

-32.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,031

$10.53 €9.07

22.70%

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

$222 JMD 34.9K

$774 €666

-71.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,451 JMD 385.4K

$11.0K €9,491

-77.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.73 JMD 4,046

$91.3 €78.6

-71.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.24 JMD 3,969

$38.29 €32.97

-34.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

$105 €90.3

-31.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 JMD 11.9K

$102 €87.7

-25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.4K

$1,100 €947

-19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 70.9K

$942 €811

-52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 317.8K

$2,019 €1,738

0.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 JMD 189.4K

$1,542 €1,328

-21.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 JMD 450.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 JMD 344.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.1K

$2,846 €2,451

-74.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

5.08

80.12%

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

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Msida: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $1,100 in Msida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Msida pays 289% 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 $68.0 in Msida. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $313, with Msida 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 Msida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Msida. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kingston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Msida earns 289% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Kingston versus $1,100 in Msida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Kingston versus $774 in Msida. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Msida pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,887 in Msida, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Msida. The gap between the two cities makes Kingston 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 Msida 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 Kingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Msida. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.