Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Santa Cruz versus $1,454 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,438 in Santa Cruz versus $2,432 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,998 in Santa Cruz versus $3,409 in Kingston.

Living in Santa Cruz costs roughly 40% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Cruz is 35% below, Kingston is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.37 JMD 1,159

$7.54 JMD 1,186

-2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 JMD 9,958

$63.3 JMD 9,964

-0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 JMD 1,407

$8.76 JMD 1,378

2.17%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JMD 693

$4.44 JMD 699

-0.90%

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

$1.31 JMD 205

$1.31 JMD 206

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.69 JMD 109

7.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 JMD 397

$2.57 JMD 404

-1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$3.08 JMD 485

2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.23 JMD 665

$4.32 JMD 680

-2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 549

$3.54 JMD 557

-1.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 248

$1.61 JMD 253

-1.86%

Eggs

$3.42 JMD 538

$3.50 JMD 550

-2.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 JMD 1,768

$11.10 JMD 1,746

1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 JMD 1,030

$6.50 JMD 1,022

0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 JMD 1,187

$7.79 JMD 1,225

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 JMD 938

$6.15 JMD 967

-3.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 JMD 497

$3.06 JMD 481

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 JMD 650

$4.33 JMD 681

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 472

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 JMD 326

$2.05 JMD 322

0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$1.91 JMD 301

1.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 470

$3.13 JMD 492

-4.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 229

$1.45 JMD 228

0.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.01 JMD 1,417

$9.00 JMD 1,416

0.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,804

$11.59 JMD 1,824

-1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 449

$2.86 JMD 450

-0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 506

$3.08 JMD 485

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JMD 140

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.88 JMD 7,845

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.08 JMD 170

0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 497

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 967

$6.17 JMD 971

-0.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.24 JMD 195

-0.81%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

1.99%

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

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

1.29%

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

$162 JMD 25.4K

$165 JMD 25.9K

-1.88%

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

$22.34 JMD 3,514

$21.76 JMD 3,423

2.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$51.9 JMD 8,163

-3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.47 JMD 2,434

Cinema Ticket

$12.93 JMD 2,034

$13.21 JMD 2,078

-2.12%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$228 JMD 35.9K

-0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,445 JMD 384.5K

$2,456 JMD 386.3K

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.26 JMD 4,130

$26.42 JMD 4,156

-0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 JMD 4,092

$25.61 JMD 4,028

1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 JMD 11.7K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-3.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 JMD 139.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 JMD 70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 JMD 313.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 JMD 190.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,824 JMD 444.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,167 JMD 340.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 JMD 63.7K

$754 JMD 118.6K

-46.30%

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 Santa Cruz: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Kingston pays 86% 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: $63.0 in Santa Cruz vs $63.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $353 per month, with Santa Cruz 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

Santa Cruz vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Cruz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Kingston earns 86% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $879 per month in Santa Cruz versus $1,454 in Kingston – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Santa Cruz versus $1,454 in Kingston, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.