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: $1,706 in Kingston versus $1,101 in Ocho Rios.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Kingston versus $1,587 in Ocho Rios.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,988 in Kingston versus $2,074 in Ocho Rios.

Living in Kingston is roughly 55% more expensive than in Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 25% above, Ocho Rios is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 JMD 2,509

$9.37 JMD 1,470

70.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 JMD 11.8K

$63.9 JMD 10.0K

18.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 JMD 1,359

$6.92 JMD 1,086

25.14%

Cappuccino

$5.31 JMD 833

$3.12 JMD 489

70.19%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$1.19 JMD 187

0.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 JMD 106

$0.74 JMD 116

-9.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 JMD 344

$2.23 JMD 350

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 503

$3.26 JMD 511

-1.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.10 JMD 643

$4.01 JMD 630

2.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 JMD 610

$2.71 JMD 424

43.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 249

$1.57 JMD 247

1.27%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 557

$3.52 JMD 553

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 JMD 1,832

$11.55 JMD 1,812

1.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,011

$6.45 JMD 1,012

-0.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 JMD 1,607

$10.31 JMD 1,618

-0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 970

$6.17 JMD 968

0.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.87 JMD 608

$3.10 JMD 487

24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,176

$6.25 JMD 980

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 482

$2.58 JMD 405

18.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 528

$3.19 JMD 501

5.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 JMD 427

$2.58 JMD 405

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 490

$2.91 JMD 456

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$1.41 JMD 222

7.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.54 JMD 1,497

$8.71 JMD 1,366

9.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 JMD 1,793

$9.79 JMD 1,536

16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 440

$2.80 JMD 439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 641

$3.93 JMD 617

4.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.96 JMD 151

-20.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.96 JMD 5,955

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 183

$1.24 JMD 194

-5.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 504

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 JMD 981

$6.17 JMD 968

1.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 223

$1.34 JMD 210

5.97%

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

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

$44.8K JMD 7.0M

-0.42%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$32.8K JMD 5.2M

0.54%

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

$172 JMD 27.1K

$176 JMD 27.6K

-1.81%

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

$29.30 JMD 4,596

$20.09 JMD 3,152

45.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 JMD 8,176

$52.6 JMD 8,248

-0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 JMD 9,668

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 JMD 2,844

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,070

$11.47 JMD 1,800

15.00%

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

$362 JMD 56.7K

$358 JMD 56.2K

0.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,377 JMD 1.3M

$8,314 JMD 1.3M

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 JMD 3,685

$23.65 JMD 3,711

-0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 JMD 5,042

$31.36 JMD 4,919

2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 JMD 12.5K

$79.7 JMD 12.5K

0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$103 JMD 16.1K

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 JMD 153.9K

$377 JMD 59.1K

160.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 JMD 88.8K

$192 JMD 30.1K

195.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 JMD 334.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 JMD 217.1K

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

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 Ocho Rios: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Kingston and $377 in Ocho Rios. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Kingston vs $64.0 in Ocho Rios for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $358 per month, with Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ocho Rios wins on cost – living expenses run 55% 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 $2,558 in Kingston and $1,651 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: $981 in Kingston versus $377 in Ocho Rios. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $1,101 in Ocho Rios – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,101 in Ocho Rios versus $1,706 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 55% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.