Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and San Miguel de Allende Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and San Miguel de Allende

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,660 in San Miguel de Allende.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Kingston versus $2,670 in San Miguel de Allende.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,498 in Kingston versus $3,679 in San Miguel de Allende.

Living in Kingston costs roughly 13% less than in San Miguel de Allende, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston 8% above, San Miguel de Allende 24% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.61 JMD 1,192
$10.77 MX$186
-29.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.0 JMD 9,707
$47.51 MX$822
30.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.80 JMD 1,379
$7.99 MX$138
10.14%
Cappuccino
$4.36 JMD 682
$3.62 MX$62.6
20.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 JMD 207
$1.33 MX$22.93
-0.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 JMD 117
$1.03 MX$17.77
-28.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 JMD 403
$2.86 MX$49.46
-10.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 JMD 501
$5.08 MX$87.8
-37.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.36 JMD 684
$1.35 MX$23.41
222.96%
White Bread (500g)
$3.66 JMD 573
$3.88 MX$67.1
-5.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 JMD 246
$1.85 MX$31.99
-15.14%
Eggs
$3.47 JMD 543
$2.56 MX$44.27
35.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.19 JMD 1,754
$7.98 MX$138
40.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.42 JMD 1,007
$14.05 MX$243
-54.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.82 JMD 1,225
$17.93 MX$310
-56.39%
Apples (1kg)
$5.96 JMD 933
$4.22 MX$73.0
41.23%
Banana (1kg)
$3.13 JMD 491
$1.72 MX$29.77
81.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.30 JMD 673
$3.12 MX$53.9
37.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.96 JMD 464
$2.77 MX$47.88
6.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.03 JMD 317
$2.46 MX$42.62
-17.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 JMD 315
$3.13 MX$54.1
-35.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.12 JMD 489
$1.63 MX$28.17
91.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 JMD 227
$1.26 MX$21.75
15.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.89 JMD 1,393
$4.15 MX$71.8
114.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.29 JMD 1,769
$17.24 MX$298
-34.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 JMD 454
$2.42 MX$41.88
19.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 JMD 502
$3.59 MX$62.1
-10.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 JMD 140
$0.41 MX$7.06
117.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.53 JMD 7,604
$6.30 MX$109
670.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.12 JMD 176
$4.29 MX$74.1
-73.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.15 JMD 494
$0.30 MX$5.21
950.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.19 JMD 971
$7.97 MX$138
-22.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 JMD 201
$1.30 MX$22.52
-1.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.2K JMD 6.8M
$18.3K MX$316.3K
136.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K JMD 5.3M
$21.3K MX$368.9K
58.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 JMD 25.5K
$58.8 MX$1,016
177.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.49 JMD 3,523
$21.58 MX$373
4.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.7 JMD 7,942
$34.20 MX$592
48.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.4 JMD 10.9K
$46.84 MX$810
48.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.50 JMD 2,428
$39.84 MX$689
-61.09%
Cinema Ticket
$12.92 JMD 2,024
$6.94 MX$120
86.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 JMD 34.8K
$341 MX$5,897
-34.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,451 JMD 384.0K
$4,844 MX$83.8K
-49.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.73 JMD 4,032
$62.6 MX$1,083
-58.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 JMD 3,955
$57.1 MX$988
-55.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.4 JMD 11.3K
$111 MX$1,921
-34.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.6 JMD 11.8K
$142 MX$2,455
-46.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$880 JMD 137.9K
$1,105 MX$19.1K
-20.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 JMD 70.7K
$730 MX$12.6K
-38.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,021 JMD 316.7K
$2,537 MX$43.9K
-20.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,204 JMD 188.7K
$1,566 MX$27.1K
-23.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,863 JMD 448.5K
$2,890 MX$50.0K
-0.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,192 JMD 343.5K
$1,717 MX$29.7K
27.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kingston
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$732 JMD 114.7K
$662 MX$11.4K
10.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.15
12.17
-24.82%

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

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Miguel de Allende: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $1,105 in San Miguel de Allende. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Kingston vs $48.00 in San Miguel de Allende. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $365, with Kingston 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 San Miguel de Allende: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kingston or San Miguel de Allende?
Kingston wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in San Miguel de Allende. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kingston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Kingston or San Miguel de Allende?
Kingston pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Kingston vs San Miguel de Allende?
Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Kingston versus $1,105 in San Miguel de Allende. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Kingston and San Miguel de Allende?
Childcare runs $222 in Kingston versus $341 in San Miguel de Allende. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Kingston or San Miguel de Allende?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in San Miguel de Allende. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kingston or San Miguel de Allende?
At $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,660 in San Miguel de Allende, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in San Miguel de Allende. The gap between the two cities makes Kingston the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kingston or San Miguel de Allende?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kingston delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,451 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kingston hard to pass up.
How safe is Kingston compared to San Miguel de Allende?
Safety-wise, Kingston and San Miguel de Allende are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in San Miguel de Allende. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Kingston vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities