For my fellow expats new to Kingston.

New to Kingston? Here are a few tips on how to get by for your basic requirements. These are all places or services I can personally recommend but of course there is more for you to discover. :)

Which provider to use for your cellphone services:

• Lime http://www.time4lime.com/jm/
• Digicel  http://www.digiceljamaica.com/

*Both companies are good. They always compete with each other to offer the best prices, you can choose the one who fits your needs better.

• For your TV, landline phone and Internet services, the only existing major company is Flow. http://discoverflow.co/jamaica

Where to buy your groceries: (You need to have a few options since sometimes only one of them has the ingredients you want)

• My personal favorite: Loshusan Supermarket at the Barbican Centre > 29 East Kings House Road
• My second choice: Sovereign Supermarket at the Sovereign Centre > 106 Hope Road
• Other option: John R Wong Supermarket directly in New Kingston > 1-5 Tobago Avenue (can have a lot of people begging for money at this one though).

Wholesale clubs:

• MegaMart (annual membership is JM$1200 but you can also pay without having one) > 29 Upper Waterloo Road
• PriceSmart (annual membership is JM$3000-3500) > 111 Red Hills Road

Specialized food products:

• CPJ Market > 71 Lady Musgrave Road
• Uncorked > 29 Barbican Road
• Fromage Gourmet Market > 8 Hillcrest Avenue

Where to shop for clothes, shoes and more:

• The Village Plaza and Tropical Plaza (Pumas, Adidas, Payless, Xtras, Go West, Rituals…) > Constant Spring Road
• Sovereign Centre > 106 Hope Road

Drugstores:

• Monarch Pharmacy * You can find them at the Barbican Centre, the Sovereign Centre and at the Tropical Plaza.

Health care:

• Winchester Medical Centre >  3A Winchester http://winchestermedicaljm.com/
• Andrews Memorial Hospital > 27 Hope Road http://www.amhosp.org/index.aspx

Where to get in shape:

• Chai Studio > 88 Barbican Road in the Barbican Business Centre http://www.chaistudiosja.com/

• Core Fitness > 29 Barbican Road http://www.corefitja.com/

• Spartan Health Club > 9 Lady Musgrave Road http://www.spartanhealthclub.com/

Where to go to the movies:

• Palace Cineplex (Only 2 theaters but greatest location) > Sovereign Centre 106 Hope Road
• Carib 5 (Much more like an American movie theater but less attractive location) > Cross Roads, Kingston 5

http://www.palaceamusement.com/

Hardware stores:

• Super Valu Home Centre > 137 Old Hope Road
• Rapid True Value > Sovereign Centre and The Village Plaza

Furniture stores:

• Courts > Hope Road in front of Sovereign Centre
• Singer > 21 Constant Spring Road

I hope this post can help anyone moving to Kingston feel more comfortable getting out there and explore the city for your simple needs. Remember to look at my restaurant reviews, and Kingston related posts for more activities!

http://isabelleinjamaica.blogspot.com/p/restaurants-reviews.html
http://isabelleinjamaica.blogspot.com/2013/05/one-day-visiting-kingston.html
http://isabelleinjamaica.blogspot.com/2013/04/lime-cay.html