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: $1,461 in Kingston versus $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Kingston versus $1,858 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,432 in Kingston versus $2,604 in Saint Andrew Parish.

Living in Kingston is roughly 31% more expensive than Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston is 8% above, Saint Andrew Parish is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.37 JMD 1,167

$7.40 JMD 1,171

-0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 JMD 9,795

$34.06 JMD 5,391

81.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 JMD 1,407

$6.09 JMD 964

45.98%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 695

$1.90 JMD 301

131.05%

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

$1.38 JMD 218

$0.91 JMD 143

51.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.71 JMD 113

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 387

$2.48 JMD 392

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 500

$3.05 JMD 483

3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 686

$4.22 JMD 668

2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 579

$1.02 JMD 161

258.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 249

$1.27 JMD 200

23.62%

Eggs

$3.43 JMD 543

$3.48 JMD 550

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 JMD 1,717

$10.89 JMD 1,723

-0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,033

$6.43 JMD 1,018

1.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 JMD 1,177

$7.52 JMD 1,190

-1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 JMD 965

$6.11 JMD 967

-0.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 488

$3.12 JMD 493

-1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 JMD 653

$4.24 JMD 672

-2.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 JMD 462

$2.99 JMD 474

-2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 319

$2.03 JMD 321

-0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 314

$1.92 JMD 304

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 473

$3.10 JMD 491

-3.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 230

$1.43 JMD 226

2.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 JMD 1,367

$8.56 JMD 1,355

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,790

$11.56 JMD 1,830

-2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 JMD 453

$2.78 JMD 441

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 508

$3.09 JMD 488

3.88%

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

$1.12 JMD 177

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 514

$3.16 JMD 500

2.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,018

$6.09 JMD 965

5.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 JMD 194

$1.25 JMD 197

-2.40%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

-0.01%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-1.34%

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

$160 JMD 25.4K

$162 JMD 25.7K

-1.02%

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

$21.77 JMD 3,445

$22.01 JMD 3,483

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 JMD 8,096

$51.7 JMD 8,189

-1.14%

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

$13.22 JMD 2,092

-2.12%

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

$230 JMD 36.5K

$229 JMD 36.2K

0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 387.7K

$2,526 JMD 399.8K

-3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.54 JMD 4,200

$26.37 JMD 4,174

0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.83 JMD 4,087

$25.69 JMD 4,067

0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 140.2K

$752 JMD 119.0K

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 JMD 71.7K

$310 JMD 49.1K

46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 JMD 319.8K

$1,904 JMD 301.3K

6.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 188.0K

$907 JMD 143.6K

30.93%

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

$743 JMD 117.5K

0.94%

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 Saint Andrew Parish: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $886 in Kingston and $752 in Saint Andrew Parish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 1% 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: $62 in Kingston vs $34 in Saint Andrew Parish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $323 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 31% 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.

Kingston pays 1% more on average, 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: $886 in Kingston versus $752 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 $1,461 per month in Kingston versus $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish versus $1,461 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 31% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.