Cost of Living Comparison Between Negril and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Negril and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Negril versus $1,247 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Negril versus $2,276 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,842 in Negril versus $3,306 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Negril costs roughly 31% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Negril36% lower, Phuket7% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.30JMD 1,156
$4.59฿147
59.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.4JMD 7,977
$46.83฿1,500
7.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.96JMD 1,418
$8.70฿279
2.99%
Cappuccino
$1.97JMD 311
$2.92฿93.7
-32.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35JMD 214
$0.68฿21.90
98.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76JMD 120
$0.40฿12.69
90.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48JMD 393
$2.51฿80.3
-1.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07JMD 485
$3.80฿122
-19.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$4.19JMD 663
$2.16฿69.2
93.98%
White Bread(500g)
$3.52JMD 557
$1.88฿60.3
87.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61JMD 254
$2.16฿69.1
-25.46%
Eggs
$3.47JMD 548
$2.22฿71.1
56.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.10JMD 1,757
$19.57฿627
-43.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.23JMD 986
$3.80฿122
63.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.73JMD 1,223
$13.41฿430
-42.36%
Apples(1kg)
$6.06JMD 960
$3.26฿104
85.89%
Banana(1kg)
$3.00JMD 474
$1.61฿51.6
86.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.18JMD 661
$2.31฿73.9
80.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.04JMD 482
$2.06฿65.9
47.57%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10JMD 333
$1.61฿51.4
30.43%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01JMD 318
$1.44฿46.23
39.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.13JMD 496
$1.03฿32.99
203.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44JMD 227
$0.48฿15.38
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.02JMD 1,428
$4.50฿144
100.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.36JMD 1,799
$19.18฿614
-40.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78JMD 440
$1.82฿58.4
52.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16JMD 501
$2.69฿86.2
17.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Negril
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.38฿44.13
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.76฿377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.09JMD 172
$3.11฿99.5
-64.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.13JMD 495
$1.00฿32.16
213.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.14JMD 972
$13.74฿440
-55.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29JMD 205
$1.30฿41.58
-0.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.1KJMD 6.8M
$27.4K฿876.5K
57.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6KJMD 5.3M
$33.0K฿1.1M
1.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$164JMD 26.0K
$125฿4,001
31.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.52JMD 3,564
$13.74฿440
63.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.2JMD 8,105
$18.61฿596
175.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.6฿1,940
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.15฿549
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.95JMD 2,050
$9.01฿289
43.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$230JMD 36.4K
$698฿22.4K
-67.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,512JMD 397.6K
$16.1K฿516.2K
-84.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.57JMD 4,047
$59.2฿1,897
-56.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.37JMD 4,015
$34.86฿1,117
-27.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.6JMD 11.3K
$114฿3,659
-37.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.5JMD 12.3K
$85.8฿2,749
-9.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Negril
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,011JMD 160.0K
$619฿19.8K
63.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$437฿14.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,075฿66.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,509฿48.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,764฿120.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,694฿86.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$528฿16.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
5.33
71.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Negril: April 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,011 in Negril and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $50 in Negril vs $47 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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
Negril vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Negril and Phuket?
Negril and Phuket differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,247 including rent). Negril is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Negril compared to Phuket?
You'd need roughly $1,292 in Negril and $1,870 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Negril and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,011 in Negril versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Negril and Phuket?
Childcare runs $230 in Negril versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Negril – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $861 in Negril versus $1,247 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Negril but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Negril the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Negril and Phuket?
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.
Is Negril or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Negril and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Negril or Phuket?
Expats usually find Negril gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.