Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Negril Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Negril

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,461 in Kingston versus $861 in Negril.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Kingston versus $1,352 in Negril.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,432 in Kingston versus $1,842 in Negril.

Living in Kingston is roughly 70% more expensive than Negril, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 8% above, Negril is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.37 JMD 1,167

$7.30 JMD 1,156

0.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 JMD 9,795

$50.4 JMD 7,977

22.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 JMD 1,407

$8.96 JMD 1,418

-0.78%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 695

$1.97 JMD 311

122.84%

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

$1.38 JMD 218

$1.35 JMD 214

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.76 JMD 120

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 387

$2.48 JMD 393

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 500

$3.07 JMD 485

2.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 686

$4.19 JMD 663

3.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 579

$3.52 JMD 557

3.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 249

$1.61 JMD 254

-2.48%

Eggs

$3.43 JMD 543

$3.47 JMD 548

-1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 JMD 1,717

$11.10 JMD 1,757

-2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,033

$6.23 JMD 986

4.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 JMD 1,177

$7.73 JMD 1,223

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 JMD 965

$6.06 JMD 960

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 488

$3.00 JMD 474

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 JMD 653

$4.18 JMD 661

-1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 JMD 462

$3.04 JMD 482

-3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 319

$2.10 JMD 333

-4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 314

$2.01 JMD 318

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 473

$3.13 JMD 496

-4.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 230

$1.44 JMD 227

1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 JMD 1,367

$9.02 JMD 1,428

-4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,790

$11.36 JMD 1,799

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 JMD 453

$2.78 JMD 440

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 508

$3.16 JMD 501

1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 JMD 137

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.18 JMD 7,626

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 178

$1.09 JMD 172

2.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 514

$3.13 JMD 495

3.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,018

$6.14 JMD 972

4.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 JMD 194

$1.29 JMD 205

-5.43%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

0.61%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-0.90%

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

$160 JMD 25.4K

$164 JMD 26.0K

-2.25%

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

$21.77 JMD 3,445

$22.52 JMD 3,564

-3.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 JMD 8,096

$51.2 JMD 8,105

-0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 JMD 2,485

Cinema Ticket

$12.94 JMD 2,049

$12.95 JMD 2,050

-0.08%

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

$230 JMD 36.5K

$230 JMD 36.4K

0.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 387.7K

$2,512 JMD 397.6K

-2.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.54 JMD 4,200

$25.57 JMD 4,047

3.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.83 JMD 4,087

$25.37 JMD 4,015

1.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

$77.5 JMD 12.3K

-0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 140.2K

$1,011 JMD 160.0K

-12.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 JMD 71.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 319.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 188.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,809 JMD 444.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 JMD 354.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 JMD 118.7K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Negril: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $886 in Kingston and $1,011 in Negril. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62 in Kingston vs $50 in Negril for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $348 per month, with Negril 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 Negril: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negril wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negril the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,192 in Kingston and $1,292 in Negril to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $886 in Kingston versus $1,011 in Negril. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,461 per month in Kingston versus $861 in Negril – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Negril versus $1,461 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Negril but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Negril 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 Negril gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.