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: $1,382 in Seongnam versus $1,702 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,320 in Seongnam versus $2,853 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,258 in Seongnam versus $4,004 in Kingston.

Living in Seongnam costs roughly 19% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seongnam 0% above, Kingston 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 ₩9,131

$15.79 JMD 2,481

-56.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.54 ₩55.7K

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

-45.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 ₩9,014

$8.56 JMD 1,345

-21.50%

Cappuccino

$4.09 ₩5,488

$5.40 JMD 848

-24.26%

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

$1.59 ₩2,137

$1.24 JMD 195

28.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,042

$0.70 JMD 109

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 ₩4,709

$2.21 JMD 348

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₩4,911

$3.18 JMD 500

15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₩2,949

$4.25 JMD 667

-48.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,244

$3.68 JMD 578

-14.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 ₩4,813

$1.62 JMD 255

121.60%

Eggs

$3.46 ₩4,638

$3.44 JMD 540

0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 ₩12.6K

$11.60 JMD 1,822

-18.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 ₩10.7K

$6.41 JMD 1,007

24.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.54 ₩28.9K

$10.16 JMD 1,596

112.01%

Apples (1kg)

$7.79 ₩10.5K

$6.16 JMD 967

26.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.39 ₩4,545

$4.00 JMD 629

-15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ₩7,832

$7.30 JMD 1,147

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.01 ₩9,397

$2.97 JMD 467

136.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 ₩5,000

$3.25 JMD 511

14.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,348

$2.70 JMD 424

-7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 ₩3,733

$3.15 JMD 495

-11.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,783

$1.49 JMD 233

-10.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,355

$9.17 JMD 1,440

-64.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.71 ₩25.1K

$11.16 JMD 1,754

67.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,762

$2.81 JMD 442

-26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₩2,450

$3.95 JMD 621

-53.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₩1,407

$0.81 JMD 127

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 JMD 5,946

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 ₩4,895

$1.23 JMD 193

196.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₩820

$3.10 JMD 486

-80.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₩11.8K

$6.23 JMD 979

40.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₩1,854

$1.39 JMD 218

-0.72%

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

$29.6K ₩39.6M

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

-33.66%

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

$27.9K ₩37.5M

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

-15.10%

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

$206 ₩276.0K

$178 JMD 28.0K

15.67%

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

$37.11 ₩49.8K

$29.81 JMD 4,682

24.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.28 ₩27.2K

$52.5 JMD 8,241

-61.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 ₩75.5K

$61.1 JMD 9,598

-7.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$17.79 JMD 2,794

-37.61%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$13.15 JMD 2,065

-15.59%

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

$579 ₩775.9K

$357 JMD 56.1K

61.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ₩23.8M

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

117.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 ₩75.9K

$23.41 JMD 3,678

141.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.50 ₩43.6K

$31.32 JMD 4,919

3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 ₩93.6K

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

-8.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 ₩108.5K

$102 JMD 16.0K

-20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₩605.8K

$955 JMD 150.1K

-52.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₩463.6K

$563 JMD 88.4K

-38.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₩1.6M

$2,148 JMD 337.4K

-45.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 ₩1.4M

$1,430 JMD 224.6K

-27.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,184 ₩9.6M

$2,887 JMD 453.5K

148.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 ₩7.2M

$2,090 JMD 328.4K

156.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 JMD 116.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

9.45

-56.83%

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

Last update for Seongnam: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kingston: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Seongnam and $955 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Seongnam vs $76.0 in Kingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $427 vs $386, 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

Seongnam wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seongnam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,072 in Seongnam and $2,554 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: $452 in Seongnam versus $955 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kingston pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,382 per month in Seongnam versus $1,702 in Kingston – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,382 in Seongnam versus $1,702 in Kingston, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seongnam but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Seongnam 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 Seongnam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.