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: $1,815 in Msida versus $1,706 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,745 in Msida versus $2,847 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,676 in Msida versus $3,988 in Kingston.

Living in Msida is roughly 6% more expensive than in Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Msida 33% above, Kingston 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 €10.08

$15.99 JMD 2,506

-27.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 €45.53

$75.5 JMD 11.8K

-30.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 €9.92

$8.66 JMD 1,358

31.41%

Cappuccino

$2.35 €2.04

$5.31 JMD 832

-55.74%

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

$2.38 €2.07

$1.20 JMD 188

98.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 €1.00

$0.67 JMD 106

70.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 €4.04

$2.19 JMD 343

111.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.04

$3.20 JMD 502

9.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.01

$4.10 JMD 642

-71.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 €1.17

$3.89 JMD 609

-65.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 €3.93

$1.59 JMD 249

183.65%

Eggs

$2.83 €2.47

$3.55 JMD 556

-20.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 €7.63

$11.67 JMD 1,830

-24.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.79 €9.40

$6.44 JMD 1,010

67.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 €16.75

$10.24 JMD 1,605

87.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 €3.70

$6.18 JMD 969

-31.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$3.87 JMD 607

-25.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 €3.30

$7.50 JMD 1,175

-49.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 €3.01

$3.07 JMD 481

12.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.28

$3.37 JMD 528

-22.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.72 JMD 427

-25.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 €2.03

$3.12 JMD 489

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.52 JMD 239

-8.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 €6.13

$9.54 JMD 1,495

-26.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 €7.30

$11.43 JMD 1,791

-26.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.55

$2.80 JMD 439

-36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.11

$4.09 JMD 641

-40.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.05

$0.76 JMD 119

209.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.96 JMD 5,949

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 €4.99

$1.17 JMD 183

389.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 €2.00

$3.21 JMD 503

-28.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 €23.85

$6.25 JMD 980

337.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.42 JMD 222

6.34%

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

$38.3K €33.4K

$44.6K JMD 7.0M

-14.05%

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

$39.5K €34.4K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

19.68%

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

$84.6 €73.7

$172 JMD 27.0K

-50.93%

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

$26.48 €23.07

$29.30 JMD 4,592

-9.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.09 €25.35

$52.1 JMD 8,167

-44.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 €50.6

$61.6 JMD 9,658

-5.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.13 JMD 2,841

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 €9.09

$13.19 JMD 2,068

-20.92%

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

$379 €330

$362 JMD 56.7K

4.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$8,377 JMD 1.3M

39.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €77.3

$23.49 JMD 3,681

277.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.07 €35.78

$32.14 JMD 5,037

27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €91.5

$79.8 JMD 12.5K

31.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 €71.7

$102 JMD 16.0K

-19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 €941

$981 JMD 153.8K

10.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 €821

$566 JMD 88.7K

66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 €1,595

$2,130 JMD 333.8K

-14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 €1,322

$1,384 JMD 216.8K

9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,880 JMD 451.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,071 JMD 324.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,867 €2,498

$739 JMD 115.8K

287.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

9.45

-69.31%

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

Last update for Msida: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kingston: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,081 in Msida and $981 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Msida pays 288% 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: $52.0 in Msida vs $75.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $389 per month, with Msida 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

Msida vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston wins on cost – living expenses run 6% 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.

Average pay runs 288% higher in Msida, 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: $1,081 in Msida versus $981 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Msida pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,815 per month in Msida versus $1,706 in Kingston – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,706 in Kingston versus $1,815 in Msida, a $2,000 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 6% less than in Msida. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.