Living in Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston is a large coastal city in Jamaica (1 to 5 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 26°C over the year with about 1,094 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €3,167 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Jamaica is possible, with conditions.

See how Kingston ranks for you

12 questions, about 4 minutes, no account needed. Taking the quiz is free, and so is seeing your #1 city. Full results for both of you are a one-time US$12 (€12 in Europe).

Est. cost: €3,167; a month for a couple
Climate: 26°C; 1,094 mm rain a year
Size: Large; 1 to 5 million people
Safety: 46/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; for most foreigners

Limited data for Jamaica. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Jamaica are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Jamaica, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Kingston

On or near the sea

Safety and stability

Jamaica scores 46 out of 100 on safety, safer than 12% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 7.1 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Jamaica: country-level homicide rate per 100,000 people (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5, 2023) and Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Climate

Kingston averages 26°C across the year with about 1,094 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 75% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Healthcare

Jamaica scores 58 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 25% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Jamaica: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Jamaica grants discretionary permanent residence to retirees who can show adequate means, to foreign nationals after roughly three years of work-permit employment, and to spouses of Jamaican citizens, with no published income or investment minimum on the official route.

For short visits, 101 of 198 passports can enter visa-free, 21 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival and 76 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €3,167 a month to live centrally in Kingston, 16% above the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 31% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Questions couples ask about Kingston

Is Kingston a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. It is weaker on safety and healthcare. Our figures for Jamaica are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, wet climate (26°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Kingston and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Kingston?

We estimate about €3,167 a month for a couple living centrally, 16% above the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Jamaica, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Jamaica long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Jamaica grants discretionary permanent residence to retirees who can show adequate means, to foreign nationals after roughly three years of work-permit employment, and to spouses of Jamaican citizens, with no published income or investment minimum on the official route.

What is the weather like in Kingston?

Kingston averages 26°C across the year with about 1,094 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 75% of the cities we track.