Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Ocho Rios Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Ocho Rios

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,482 in Kingston versus $904 in Ocho Rios.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Kingston versus $1,927 in Ocho Rios.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Kingston versus $2,950 in Ocho Rios.

Living in Kingston is roughly 64% more expensive than in Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 11% above, Ocho Rios is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,177

$7.61 JMD 1,202

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,732

$62.1 JMD 9,805

-0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,354

$6.24 JMD 984

37.50%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 693

$2.79 JMD 440

57.35%

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

$1.33 JMD 209

$1.37 JMD 217

-2.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 384

$2.22 JMD 350

9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 490

$3.07 JMD 485

0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 683

$4.08 JMD 644

6.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 551

$2.80 JMD 441

24.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 JMD 258

$1.56 JMD 245

5.13%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 569

$3.53 JMD 557

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,767

$6.64 JMD 1,047

68.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,018

$6.47 JMD 1,021

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,233

$7.54 JMD 1,190

3.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 946

$6.08 JMD 959

-1.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 470

$3.14 JMD 496

-5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 664

$4.34 JMD 685

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 457

$2.35 JMD 370

23.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

$2.04 JMD 322

-0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 316

$1.93 JMD 304

3.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 476

$2.10 JMD 331

43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 238

$1.12 JMD 177

34.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,359

$8.97 JMD 1,416

-4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,810

$9.70 JMD 1,530

18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$2.42 JMD 382

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

$2.92 JMD 461

4.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

$1.60 JMD 252

-49.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,760

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$0.66 JMD 104

65.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$0.93 JMD 147

246.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 1,000

$6.23 JMD 982

1.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 196

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

$42.5K JMD 6.7M

2.17%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

0.69%

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

$161 JMD 25.4K

$107 JMD 16.8K

50.76%

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

$22.24 JMD 3,509

$21.93 JMD 3,460

1.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,202

$39.44 JMD 6,223

31.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

$15.78 JMD 2,490

336.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,511

$5.71 JMD 901

178.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,111

$11.31 JMD 1,784

18.30%

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

$222 JMD 35.1K

$228 JMD 35.9K

-2.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.6K

$2,464 JMD 388.9K

2.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.81 JMD 4,073

$15.78 JMD 2,490

63.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 JMD 4,022

$12.51 JMD 1,974

103.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

$49.26 JMD 7,773

43.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$62.4 JMD 9,843

20.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.8K

$372 JMD 58.7K

136.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.2K

$187 JMD 29.6K

141.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 JMD 316.6K

$1,194 JMD 188.4K

68.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 187.5K

$1,184 JMD 186.7K

0.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 452.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Kingston: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $372 in Ocho Rios. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Kingston vs $62.0 in Ocho Rios. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $311, with Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ocho Rios wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ocho Rios the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,223 in Kingston and $1,355 in Ocho Rios 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: $880 in Kingston versus $372 in Ocho Rios. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,482 per month in Kingston versus $904 in Ocho Rios – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $904 in Ocho Rios versus $1,482 in Kingston, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ocho Rios but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.