Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,642 in Seongnam versus $1,482 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,473 in Seongnam versus $2,489 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,303 in Seongnam versus $3,496 in Kingston.

Living in Seongnam is roughly 11% more expensive than in Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seongnam 23% above, Kingston 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 ₩8,588

$7.46 JMD 1,176

-22.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.92 ₩63.8K

$61.7 JMD 9,720

-30.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 ₩6,483

$8.58 JMD 1,352

-49.18%

Cappuccino

$3.81 ₩5,662

$4.39 JMD 692

-13.21%

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

$1.57 ₩2,337

$1.33 JMD 209

18.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,184

$0.74 JMD 117

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 ₩3,931

$2.43 JMD 383

8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ₩5,306

$3.10 JMD 489

15.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₩3,222

$4.33 JMD 682

-49.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 ₩3,136

$3.49 JMD 551

-39.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 ₩4,687

$1.64 JMD 258

92.07%

Eggs

$3.15 ₩4,688

$3.61 JMD 568

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 ₩14.1K

$11.20 JMD 1,765

-15.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 ₩11.4K

$6.45 JMD 1,016

18.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.14 ₩50.8K

$7.82 JMD 1,232

336.57%

Apples (1kg)

$7.87 ₩11.7K

$5.99 JMD 945

31.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.50 ₩5,211

$2.98 JMD 470

17.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.39 ₩8,024

$4.21 JMD 663

28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 ₩9,968

$2.90 JMD 457

131.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,224

$2.02 JMD 319

73.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₩4,209

$2.00 JMD 315

41.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,882

$3.01 JMD 475

-13.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₩1,440

$1.51 JMD 238

-35.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ₩4,883

$8.61 JMD 1,357

-61.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 ₩24.5K

$11.47 JMD 1,808

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₩2,686

$2.78 JMD 438

-34.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,705

$3.04 JMD 480

-40.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,573

$0.81 JMD 128

30.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,751

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ₩5,168

$1.09 JMD 171

218.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩788

$3.22 JMD 507

-83.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 ₩13.2K

$6.34 JMD 999

39.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,779

$1.24 JMD 196

-3.23%

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

$27.6K ₩41.0M

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

-36.48%

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

$24.9K ₩37.0M

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-27.00%

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

$161 ₩238.9K

$161 JMD 25.3K

-0.13%

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

$34.69 ₩51.6K

$22.24 JMD 3,504

55.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.08 ₩32.8K

$52.0 JMD 8,191

-57.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.29 ₩70.3K

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

-31.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,508

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 ₩16.5K

$13.38 JMD 2,109

-16.97%

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

$412 ₩612.4K

$222 JMD 35.0K

85.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K ₩34.3M

$2,532 JMD 399.1K

811.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩86.3K

$25.81 JMD 4,068

124.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.77 ₩69.6K

$25.49 JMD 4,017

83.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₩118.0K

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

12.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩173.4K

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

55.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩669.3K

$880 JMD 138.6K

-48.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ₩994.1K

$451 JMD 71.2K

48.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 ₩1.6M

$2,007 JMD 316.2K

-46.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 ₩1.5M

$1,188 JMD 187.2K

-14.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,575 ₩12.8M

$2,866 JMD 451.6K

199.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,115 ₩7.6M

$2,153 JMD 339.4K

137.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

9.15

-54.75%

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

Last update for Seongnam: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kingston: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Seongnam and $880 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Seongnam vs $62.0 in Kingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $436 vs $351, with Kingston 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

Seongnam vs Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kingston wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Seongnam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kingston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,463 in Seongnam and $2,223 in Kingston to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Seongnam versus $880 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Seongnam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,642 per month in Seongnam versus $1,482 in Kingston – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,482 in Kingston versus $1,642 in Seongnam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kingston but tight or insufficient in Seongnam. 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, Seongnam 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 11% less than in Seongnam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.