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: $1,702 in Kingston versus $948 in Negril.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Kingston versus $1,482 in Negril.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,004 in Kingston versus $2,016 in Negril.

Living in Kingston is roughly 80% more expensive than in Negril, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 23% above, Negril is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.79 JMD 2,481

$9.40 JMD 1,476

67.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$50.8 JMD 7,981

49.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,345

$8.93 JMD 1,403

-4.14%

Cappuccino

$5.40 JMD 848

$2.05 JMD 322

163.41%

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

$1.24 JMD 195

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 109

$0.73 JMD 115

-4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.25 JMD 354

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$3.20 JMD 502

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.25 JMD 667

$4.22 JMD 663

0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$3.57 JMD 561

3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 540

$3.60 JMD 565

-4.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 JMD 1,822

$11.32 JMD 1,777

2.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

$6.19 JMD 972

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$10.20 JMD 1,602

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 967

$6.22 JMD 977

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$4.00 JMD 629

$4.01 JMD 629

-0.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$7.55 JMD 1,186

-3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 JMD 467

$2.97 JMD 466

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 JMD 511

$3.31 JMD 519

-1.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 JMD 424

$2.67 JMD 419

1.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 JMD 495

$3.00 JMD 471

5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 233

$1.45 JMD 228

2.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 JMD 1,440

$9.53 JMD 1,497

-3.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$11.53 JMD 1,812

-3.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 442

$2.85 JMD 447

-1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 JMD 621

$3.99 JMD 626

-1.00%

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

$1.21 JMD 191

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 486

$3.25 JMD 511

-4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 JMD 979

$6.17 JMD 970

0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 218

$1.40 JMD 219

-0.71%

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

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

$44.1K JMD 6.9M

1.05%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$32.7K JMD 5.1M

0.60%

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

$178 JMD 28.0K

$175 JMD 27.5K

1.63%

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

$29.81 JMD 4,682

$29.72 JMD 4,669

0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 JMD 8,241

$53.8 JMD 8,448

-2.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 JMD 9,598

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.79 JMD 2,794

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 JMD 2,065

$13.46 JMD 2,114

-2.30%

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

$357 JMD 56.1K

$367 JMD 57.6K

-2.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

$8,347 JMD 1.3M

-2.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.41 JMD 3,678

$23.68 JMD 3,719

-1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 JMD 4,919

$31.28 JMD 4,914

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

$78.7 JMD 12.4K

-2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 JMD 150.1K

$1,010 JMD 158.7K

-5.41%

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

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 JMD 328.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 JMD 116.9K

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 Negril: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Kingston and $1,010 in Negril. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Kingston vs $51.0 in Negril for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $384 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 80% 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 $2,554 in Kingston and $1,422 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: $955 in Kingston versus $1,010 in Negril. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% 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 $948 in Negril – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $948 in Negril versus $1,702 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 80% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.