Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Msida and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,887 in Msida versus $1,451 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,830 in Msida versus $2,475 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,773 in Msida versus $3,498 in Kingston.

Living in Msida is roughly 30% more expensive than Kingston, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Msida 41% above, Kingston 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 €9.90

$7.61 JMD 1,196

50.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €58.8

$62.0 JMD 9,741

10.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 €9.68

$8.80 JMD 1,384

27.73%

Cappuccino

$2.35 €2.02

$4.36 JMD 685

-46.10%

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

$1.70 €1.46

$1.32 JMD 207

28.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 €0.86

$0.74 JMD 117

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 €3.47

$2.57 JMD 404

56.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 €3.51

$3.20 JMD 502

27.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$4.36 JMD 686

-69.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 €1.13

$3.66 JMD 575

-64.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$1.57 JMD 247

125.48%

Eggs

$3.94 €3.39

$3.47 JMD 545

13.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 €8.12

$11.19 JMD 1,760

-15.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 €7.64

$6.42 JMD 1,010

38.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 €13.06

$7.82 JMD 1,229

93.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 €3.73

$5.96 JMD 937

-27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.20 €2.75

$3.13 JMD 492

2.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 €2.78

$4.30 JMD 676

-24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 €3.27

$2.96 JMD 465

28.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.03 JMD 319

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$2.01 JMD 316

-32.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 €2.07

$3.12 JMD 490

-22.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.45 JMD 228

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 €5.70

$8.89 JMD 1,398

-25.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 €7.27

$11.29 JMD 1,775

-25.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.90 JMD 455

-36.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.20 JMD 504

-27.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.00 €1.73

$0.89 JMD 140

124.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.29 €26.09

$48.53 JMD 7,630

-37.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 €4.95

$1.12 JMD 177

413.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 €3.51

$3.15 JMD 496

29.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.59 €41.84

$6.19 JMD 974

684.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.28 JMD 202

22.66%

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-11.63%

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

$38.3K €33.0K

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

13.51%

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

$85.9 €74.0

$163 JMD 25.6K

-47.25%

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

$27.84 €23.97

$22.49 JMD 3,536

23.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.07 €27.62

$50.7 JMD 7,970

-36.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.75 €34.23

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

-42.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.09 €19.88

$15.50 JMD 2,437

48.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 €9.07

$12.92 JMD 2,031

-18.50%

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

$774 €666

$222 JMD 34.9K

248.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,491

$2,451 JMD 385.4K

349.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €78.6

$25.73 JMD 4,046

254.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.29 €32.97

$25.24 JMD 3,969

51.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.3

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

44.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €87.7

$75.6 JMD 11.9K

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 €947

$880 JMD 138.4K

24.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 €811

$451 JMD 70.9K

108.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 €1,738

$2,021 JMD 317.8K

-0.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 €1,328

$1,204 JMD 189.4K

28.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 JMD 450.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 JMD 344.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,846 €2,451

$732 JMD 115.1K

288.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

9.15

-44.48%

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

Last update for Msida: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,100 in Msida and $880 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Msida pays 289% 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: $68.0 in Msida vs $62.0 in Kingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $313 vs $353, with Msida 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

Msida vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Msida. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kingston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Msida pays 289% 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: $1,100 in Msida versus $880 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $774 in Msida versus $222 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Msida pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,887 in Msida, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Msida. The gap between the two cities makes Kingston 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.

Safety-wise, Msida and Kingston are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Msida. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.