Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,166 per month in Montego Bay vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,151 per month in Montego Bay vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,136 per month in Montego Bay vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Montego Bay is about 5% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montego Bay and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Montego Bay 15% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 JMD 1,753

$4.41 ฿147

153.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

$32.26 ฿1,077

139.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.69 JMD 1,363

$8.93 ฿298

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$5.50 JMD 863

$2.90 ฿96.6

89.66%

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

$0.94 JMD 147

$0.88 ฿29.38

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 110

$0.48 ฿16.06

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 JMD 356

$2.35 ฿78.5

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 483

$3.72 ฿124

-17.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.40 JMD 534

$1.87 ฿62.3

81.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 JMD 424

$1.47 ฿48.94

83.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 JMD 220

$1.55 ฿51.8

-9.68%

Eggs

$3.60 JMD 565

$2.10 ฿70.1

71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 JMD 1,773

$19.59 ฿654

-42.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 JMD 981

$3.42 ฿114

82.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 JMD 1,438

$11.38 ฿380

-19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 656

$2.98 ฿99.6

40.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 JMD 392

$1.68 ฿56.2

48.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 JMD 1,181

$2.21 ฿73.7

240.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 JMD 388

$2.16 ฿72.1

14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 JMD 388

$1.52 ฿50.9

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 430

$1.34 ฿44.67

104.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 JMD 397

$1.13 ฿37.67

123.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 JMD 130

$0.55 ฿18.24

50.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 JMD 1,487

$4.26 ฿142

122.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,774

$19.09 ฿637

-40.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 445

$1.78 ฿59.4

59.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 JMD 614

$2.78 ฿92.9

41.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 JMD 144

$2.23 ฿74.4

-58.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 JMD 151

$3.03 ฿101

-68.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 JMD 496

$1.02 ฿34.15

209.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 984

$3.89 ฿130

61.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 JMD 209

$1.49 ฿49.77

-10.74%

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

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

69.11%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

23.38%

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

$176 JMD 27.6K

$102 ฿3,420

71.52%

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

$22.70 JMD 3,561

$11.33 ฿378

100.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.70 JMD 7,640

$17.40 ฿581

179.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 JMD 6,881

$52.1 ฿1,738

-15.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 JMD 1,338

$7.69 ฿257

10.92%

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

$362 JMD 56.8K

$561 ฿18.7K

-35.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-29.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.95 JMD 3,757

$63.0 ฿2,104

-62.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.22 JMD 4,899

$29.52 ฿986

5.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 JMD 10.9K

$98.0 ฿3,272

-29.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.1K

$88.5 ฿2,954

16.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 JMD 49.4K

$738 ฿24.6K

-57.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.7K

$482 ฿16.1K

-54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 JMD 151.2K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-54.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 JMD 152.1K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-20.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 JMD 94.9K

$494 ฿16.5K

22.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

5.57

69.66%

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

Last update for Montego Bay: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $315 in Montego Bay versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in Montego Bay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Montego Bay versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $274 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Montego Bay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 6% more than Montego Bay, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,749 per month in Montego Bay and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montego Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Montego Bay and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Montego Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,166, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Montego Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montego Bay costs $1,166 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montego Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.