Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Saint Andrew Parish Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Saint Andrew Parish

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,706 in Kingston versus $1,487 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Kingston versus $2,416 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,988 in Kingston versus $3,345 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Living in Kingston is roughly 15% more expensive than in Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston 25% above, Saint Andrew Parish 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 JMD 2,506

$15.54 JMD 2,435

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 JMD 11.8K

$66.6 JMD 10.4K

13.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 JMD 1,358

$8.64 JMD 1,353

0.23%

Cappuccino

$5.31 JMD 832

$5.49 JMD 860

-3.28%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$1.20 JMD 189

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 JMD 106

$0.73 JMD 115

-8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 JMD 343

$2.26 JMD 354

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$3.23 JMD 506

-0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.10 JMD 642

$3.40 JMD 532

20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 JMD 609

$2.53 JMD 397

53.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 249

$1.57 JMD 246

1.27%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 556

$3.51 JMD 550

1.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 JMD 1,830

$11.68 JMD 1,831

-0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,010

$6.44 JMD 1,009

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 JMD 1,605

$10.52 JMD 1,648

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 969

$5.92 JMD 929

4.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.87 JMD 607

$4.01 JMD 629

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,175

$5.01 JMD 785

49.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 JMD 481

$3.08 JMD 483

-0.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 528

$3.21 JMD 504

4.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 JMD 427

$2.72 JMD 426

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 489

$1.86 JMD 292

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$0.99 JMD 155

53.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.54 JMD 1,495

$9.36 JMD 1,467

1.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 JMD 1,791

$11.36 JMD 1,781

0.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 439

$2.61 JMD 409

7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 641

$3.15 JMD 493

29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.60 JMD 94.7

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.96 JMD 5,949

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 183

$0.90 JMD 141

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 503

$3.12 JMD 488

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 JMD 980

$6.48 JMD 1,016

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JMD 222

$1.28 JMD 200

10.94%

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

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

$43.7K JMD 6.8M

2.09%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$25.2K JMD 4.0M

30.78%

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

$172 JMD 27.0K

$113 JMD 17.8K

51.93%

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

$29.30 JMD 4,592

$29.07 JMD 4,556

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 JMD 8,167

$53.4 JMD 8,367

-2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 JMD 9,658

$61.1 JMD 9,581

0.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 JMD 2,841

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,068

$13.49 JMD 2,114

-2.22%

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

$362 JMD 56.7K

$258 JMD 40.5K

40.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,377 JMD 1.3M

$8,164 JMD 1.3M

2.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 JMD 3,681

$23.76 JMD 3,724

-1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 JMD 5,037

$31.85 JMD 4,991

0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 JMD 12.5K

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$74.9 JMD 11.7K

36.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 JMD 153.8K

$826 JMD 129.5K

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 JMD 88.7K

$520 JMD 81.4K

8.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 JMD 333.8K

$1,714 JMD 268.6K

24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 JMD 216.8K

$1,116 JMD 174.9K

23.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,880 JMD 451.3K

$2,708 JMD 424.4K

6.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,071 JMD 324.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 JMD 115.8K

$736 JMD 115.4K

0.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

5.00%

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

Last update for Kingston: September 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Kingston and $826 in Saint Andrew Parish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 0% 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: $75.0 in Kingston vs $67.0 in Saint Andrew Parish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $344 per month, with Saint Andrew Parish 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 Saint Andrew Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Andrew Parish wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Saint Andrew Parish the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Kingston, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $981 in Kingston versus $826 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 $1,706 per month in Kingston versus $1,487 in Saint Andrew Parish – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,487 in Saint Andrew Parish versus $1,706 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saint Andrew Parish but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Andrew Parish 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 Saint Andrew Parish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.