Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Duncans

For one person, living is cheaper in Duncans: $1,011 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $33,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Duncans, Jamaica
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Duncans
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,011
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Duncans

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in Duncans actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,011 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,785
  • Duncans $1,011

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $1,673 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,688
  • Duncans $1,673

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,336 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,592
  • Duncans $2,336

Seattle, WA costs about 274% more than Duncans, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Seattle, WA sits 178% above the global median, while Duncans is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$13.60 JMD 2,144
86.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$75.7 JMD 11.9K
33.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.76 $14.76
$8.14 JMD 1,284
81.33%
Cappuccino
$6.50 $6.50
$5.44 JMD 858
19.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$1.14 JMD 180
181.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$0.71 JMD 111
342.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.97 $7.97
$2.25 JMD 355
254.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 $8.13
$3.21 JMD 507
153.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$4.15 JMD 655
-71.81%
White Bread (500g)
$5.30 $5.30
$3.73 JMD 588
42.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$1.58 JMD 249
305.06%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$3.58 JMD 565
41.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.71 $18.71
$11.50 JMD 1,813
62.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.72 $18.72
$6.21 JMD 979
201.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.88 $22.88
$10.34 JMD 1,631
121.28%
Apples (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$6.01 JMD 947
0.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$3.97 JMD 625
-50.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$7.54 JMD 1,190
-26.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$3.02 JMD 476
115.89%
Potato (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$3.32 JMD 523
5.12%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.61 JMD 411
26.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 $2.80
$3.01 JMD 475
-6.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.43 JMD 226
80.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 $12.49
$9.48 JMD 1,494
31.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$11.25 JMD 1,775
32.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$2.78 JMD 439
50.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80 $5.80
$3.96 JMD 625
46.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.27 JMD 200
103.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$3.20 JMD 505
-48.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.12 $30.12
$6.23 JMD 983
383.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.45 JMD 228
-2.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$44.1K JMD 7.0M
-16.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$32.2K JMD 5.1M
-17.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 $308
$171 JMD 27.0K
79.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$29.64 JMD 4,674
133.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.1 $86.1
$51.8 JMD 8,166
66.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.5 $76.5
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.50 $35.50
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.02 $18.02
$13.41 JMD 2,115
34.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,746 $2,746
$355 JMD 56.0K
672.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.6K $30.6K
$8,307 JMD 1.3M
268.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 $79.2
$23.91 JMD 3,771
231.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 $54.3
$31.38 JMD 4,949
73.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$78.7 JMD 12.4K
61.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$103 JMD 16.3K
53.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,508 $2,508
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 $1,938
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,117 $5,117
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,542 $3,542
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,374 $7,374
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,002 $5,002
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Duncans
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,470 $6,470
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
9.45
-27.09%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Duncans: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Duncans
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$547
Duncans
$384 29.8% $163
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$463
Duncans
$253 45.4% $210
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$406
Duncans
$224 45% $183
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Duncans
$107 43.4% $82
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Duncans
$17 * 86.6% $112
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$112
Duncans
$27 * 76.1% $86

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $76 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $384 – making Duncans the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇯🇲 Duncans
🕒 Local time
05:57 5:57 AM
07:57 7:57 AM
2 h ahead of Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
5,153
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Duncans 5,180 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Duncans

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Seattle, WA vs Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Duncans cheaper than Seattle, WA?
Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 274%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,517 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Seattle, WA and in Duncans?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $1,011 in Duncans. That’s a gap of about 274%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $355 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Seattle, WA or in Duncans?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $1,011, than in Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Seattle, WA or in Duncans?
It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,011 in Duncans to $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Seattle, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?