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: $1,649 in Seongnam versus $1,451 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,441 in Seongnam versus $2,475 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,232 in Seongnam versus $3,498 in Kingston.

Living in Seongnam is roughly 14% more expensive than Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seongnam 23% above, Kingston 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 ₩8,803

$7.61 JMD 1,192

-23.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.97 ₩63.6K

$62.0 JMD 9,707

-32.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₩6,514

$8.80 JMD 1,379

-51.14%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ₩5,805

$4.36 JMD 682

-12.16%

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

$1.57 ₩2,381

$1.32 JMD 207

18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₩1,291

$0.74 JMD 117

14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ₩3,841

$2.57 JMD 403

-1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 ₩5,709

$3.20 JMD 501

17.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,236

$4.36 JMD 684

-50.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 ₩3,179

$3.66 JMD 573

-42.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,761

$1.57 JMD 246

100.00%

Eggs

$3.09 ₩4,676

$3.47 JMD 543

-10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 ₩14.3K

$11.19 JMD 1,754

-15.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 ₩11.5K

$6.42 JMD 1,007

18.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.71 ₩51.1K

$7.82 JMD 1,225

331.07%

Apples (1kg)

$7.89 ₩12.0K

$5.96 JMD 933

32.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.51 ₩5,316

$3.13 JMD 491

12.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 ₩8,526

$4.30 JMD 673

30.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 ₩9,784

$2.96 JMD 464

118.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₩5,155

$2.03 JMD 317

67.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,448

$2.01 JMD 315

46.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,990

$3.12 JMD 489

-15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₩1,558

$1.45 JMD 227

-28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩5,110

$8.89 JMD 1,393

-62.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.79 ₩25.4K

$11.29 JMD 1,769

48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,758

$2.90 JMD 454

-37.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₩2,740

$3.20 JMD 502

-43.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₩1,578

$0.89 JMD 140

16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.53 JMD 7,604

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,236

$1.12 JMD 176

208.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩811

$3.15 JMD 494

-82.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 ₩13.3K

$6.19 JMD 971

42.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,875

$1.28 JMD 201

-3.13%

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

$27.8K ₩42.1M

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-35.66%

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

$24.7K ₩37.4M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-26.98%

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

$162 ₩244.8K

$163 JMD 25.5K

-0.79%

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

$34.98 ₩53.0K

$22.49 JMD 3,523

55.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.83 ₩33.1K

$50.7 JMD 7,942

-56.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 ₩72.5K

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

-31.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 JMD 2,428

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$12.92 JMD 2,024

-13.39%

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

$411 ₩622.7K

$222 JMD 34.8K

85.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.5M

$2,451 JMD 384.0K

857.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₩88.4K

$25.73 JMD 4,032

126.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.71 ₩70.8K

$25.24 JMD 3,955

85.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 ₩122.0K

$72.4 JMD 11.3K

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩179.6K

$75.6 JMD 11.8K

56.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ₩679.3K

$880 JMD 137.9K

-49.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 ₩1.0M

$451 JMD 70.7K

47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 ₩1.6M

$2,021 JMD 316.7K

-47.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 ₩1.5M

$1,204 JMD 188.7K

-16.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ₩20.9M

$2,863 JMD 448.5K

381.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,876 ₩8.9M

$2,192 JMD 343.5K

168.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,338 ₩6.6M

$732 JMD 114.7K

492.46%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Seongnam and $880 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seongnam pays 492% 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: $42.00 in Seongnam vs $62.0 in Kingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $435 vs $353, 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 14% 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.

Seongnam pays 492% more on average, 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: $448 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 23% higher in Seongnam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,649 per month in Seongnam versus $1,451 in Kingston – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,451 in Kingston versus $1,649 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 14% less than in Seongnam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.