Comparación del coste de vida entre Montego Bay y Kingston Comparación del coste de vida entre Montego Bay y Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Montego Bay versus $1,471 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,759 in Montego Bay versus $2,446 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,231 in Montego Bay versus $3,420 in Kingston.

Living in Montego Bay costs roughly 12% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montego Bay is 4% below, Kingston is 10% above.

Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.69 JMD 1,212
$7.30 JMD 1,150
5.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.9 JMD 8,010
$62.8 JMD 9,889
-19.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.30 JMD 1,150
$8.99 JMD 1,416
-18.80%
Cappuccino
$4.38 JMD 690
$4.36 JMD 686
0.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 JMD 217
$1.36 JMD 214
0.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 JMD 112
$0.75 JMD 118
-5.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 JMD 390
$2.47 JMD 388
0.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 JMD 485
$3.20 JMD 503
-3.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
Milk (1 liter)
$2.52 JMD 397
$4.41 JMD 695
-42.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 JMD 422
$3.58 JMD 565
-25.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 JMD 247
$1.61 JMD 254
-2.48%
Eggs
$3.60 JMD 566
$3.55 JMD 559
1.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.03 JMD 1,737
$11.14 JMD 1,754
-0.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.43 JMD 1,013
$6.45 JMD 1,016
-0.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.77 JMD 1,223
$7.54 JMD 1,188
3.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 JMD 531
$6.15 JMD 968
-45.20%
Banana (1kg)
$3.09 JMD 487
$3.03 JMD 477
1.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 JMD 447
$4.14 JMD 652
-31.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.76 JMD 278
$2.96 JMD 466
-40.54%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 JMD 334
$2.10 JMD 331
0.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 JMD 178
$1.91 JMD 301
-40.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.91 JMD 301
$3.07 JMD 484
-37.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 JMD 146
$1.45 JMD 228
-35.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.61 JMD 1,356
$8.70 JMD 1,371
-1.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.46 JMD 1,805
$11.41 JMD 1,796
0.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 JMD 332
$2.91 JMD 458
-27.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 JMD 483
$3.07 JMD 483
-0.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 JMD 146
$0.88 JMD 138
5.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$49.34 JMD 7,771
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 JMD 146
$1.13 JMD 177
-17.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.22 JMD 507
$3.25 JMD 512
-0.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.37 JMD 1,004
$6.08 JMD 957
4.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 JMD 196
$1.28 JMD 201
-3.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.3K JMD 6.7M
$43.4K JMD 6.8M
-2.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K JMD 5.4M
$33.2K JMD 5.2M
2.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 JMD 25.6K
$163 JMD 25.6K
0.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.26 JMD 3,348
$22.50 JMD 3,543
-5.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.70 JMD 7,512
$51.1 JMD 8,051
-6.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.35 JMD 5,882
$69.8 JMD 11.0K
-46.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.48 JMD 2,438
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.54 JMD 1,188
$13.13 JMD 2,068
-42.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$62.6 JMD 9,854
$228 JMD 36.0K
-72.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,882 JMD 296.4K
$2,527 JMD 398.0K
-25.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.12 JMD 4,113
$26.50 JMD 4,174
-1.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.10 JMD 3,166
$25.86 JMD 4,073
-22.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.2 JMD 10.4K
$71.8 JMD 11.3K
-7.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.8 JMD 11.9K
$77.6 JMD 12.2K
-2.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$257 JMD 40.4K
$877 JMD 138.1K
-70.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$461 JMD 72.6K
$449 JMD 70.7K
2.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$669 JMD 105.3K
$2,018 JMD 317.8K
-66.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$431 JMD 67.9K
$1,213 JMD 191.0K
-64.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,865 JMD 451.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,208 JMD 347.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montego Bay
Kingston
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$562 JMD 88.5K
$734 JMD 115.6K
-23.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8
9.15
-12.57%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Montego Bay: April 25, 2026

Última actualización para Kingston: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Montego Bay and $877 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 31% 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: $51.0 in Montego Bay vs $63.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $353 per month, with Montego Bay cheaper across the board.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Montego Bay vs Kingston: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Montego Bay or Kingston?
Montego Bay wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montego Bay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Montego Bay or Kingston?
On paper, Kingston earns 31% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Montego Bay vs Kingston?
Rent for a central apartment: $257 in Montego Bay versus $877 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Montego Bay or Kingston?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Montego Bay compared to Kingston?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Montego Bay versus $1,471 in Kingston – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Montego Bay or Kingston?
At $1,287 in Montego Bay versus $1,471 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Montego Bay but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Montego Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Montego Bay or Kingston?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Montego Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Montego Bay vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado

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