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 $1,287 per month in Montego Bay vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,759 per month in Montego Bay vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,231 per month in Montego Bay vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Montego Bay costs about 5% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montego Bay and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Montego Bay 4% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 JMD 1,208

$4.63 ฿151

66.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 JMD 7,988

$46.84 ฿1,532

8.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$8.84 ฿289

-17.42%

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 688

$3.00 ฿98.0

46.00%

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

$1.37 JMD 216

$0.74 ฿24.25

85.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.37 ฿11.95

91.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 JMD 389

$2.44 ฿79.8

1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

$3.61 ฿118

-14.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 JMD 396

$2.26 ฿73.9

11.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 JMD 421

$1.84 ฿60.1

45.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 246

$2.24 ฿73.4

-29.91%

Eggs

$3.60 JMD 565

$2.32 ฿75.7

55.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 JMD 1,732

$19.67 ฿643

-43.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 JMD 1,010

$3.65 ฿119

76.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 JMD 1,220

$13.10 ฿428

-40.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 529

$3.39 ฿111

-0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.64 ฿53.7

88.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 JMD 445

$2.41 ฿79.0

17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 JMD 277

$2.03 ฿66.4

-13.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 JMD 333

$1.56 ฿50.9

35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 177

$1.50 ฿48.94

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 JMD 300

$1.02 ฿33.50

87.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 JMD 146

$0.49 ฿16.00

89.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,352

$4.45 ฿145

93.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 JMD 1,800

$18.88 ฿617

-39.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 JMD 331

$1.78 ฿58.1

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.75 ฿90.1

11.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 JMD 146

$1.40 ฿45.81

-33.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 JMD 146

$3.12 ฿102

-70.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 505

$1.00 ฿32.67

222.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 JMD 1,001

$14.09 ฿461

-54.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.35 ฿44.19

-8.15%

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

$42.3K JMD 6.6M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

55.58%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

3.58%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$125 ฿4,087

30.25%

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

$21.26 JMD 3,339

$13.57 ฿444

56.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.70 JMD 7,491

$18.52 ฿606

157.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.35 JMD 5,866

$61.5 ฿2,010

-39.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 JMD 1,185

$9.19 ฿300

-17.95%

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

$62.6 JMD 9,827

$698 ฿22.8K

-91.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,882 JMD 295.6K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-87.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.12 JMD 4,102

$57.8 ฿1,889

-54.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.10 JMD 3,157

$35.24 ฿1,152

-42.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 JMD 10.4K

$113 ฿3,699

-41.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$86.4 ฿2,825

-12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 JMD 40.3K

$616 ฿20.1K

-58.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 JMD 72.4K

$446 ฿14.6K

3.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 JMD 105.0K

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-67.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 JMD 67.7K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-71.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 JMD 88.3K

$524 ฿17.1K

7.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

50.09%

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

Last update for Montego Bay: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Montego Bay versus $616 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 7% higher in Montego Bay, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Montego Bay versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Montego Bay vs $292 in Phuket – so Montego Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Montego Bay costs about 5% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 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 Phuket, 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 $51.0 in Montego Bay and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Montego Bay – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Montego Bay at $1,287. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montego Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,287 in Montego Bay. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montego Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.