Cost of Living Comparison Between Negril and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Negril and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Negril versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,358 in Negril versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,856 in Negril versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Negril costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Negril 36% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.46 JMD 1,173
$4.56 ฿150
63.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.1 JMD 7,882
$46.63 ฿1,535
7.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.56 JMD 1,347
$8.47 ฿279
1.06%
Cappuccino
$2.06 JMD 323
$3.03 ฿99.7
-32.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 JMD 208
$0.69 ฿22.69
91.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 JMD 119
$0.37 ฿12.04
105.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.47 JMD 389
$2.49 ฿81.9
-0.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 JMD 487
$3.66 ฿120
-15.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.21 JMD 662
$2.18 ฿71.8
93.12%
White Bread (500g)
$3.49 JMD 549
$1.90 ฿62.6
83.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 JMD 248
$2.20 ฿72.4
-28.64%
Eggs
$3.41 JMD 536
$2.22 ฿73.2
53.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.85 JMD 1,707
$19.99 ฿658
-45.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.29 JMD 989
$3.66 ฿121
71.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.67 JMD 1,206
$13.25 ฿436
-42.11%
Apples (1kg)
$5.99 JMD 942
$3.23 ฿106
85.45%
Banana (1kg)
$3.03 JMD 476
$1.70 ฿55.9
78.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.29 JMD 675
$2.39 ฿78.8
79.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.93 JMD 461
$2.08 ฿68.4
40.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.08 JMD 327
$1.59 ฿52.4
30.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.95 JMD 307
$1.48 ฿48.83
31.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.07 JMD 484
$1.03 ฿33.90
198.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 JMD 234
$0.52 ฿17.01
186.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.03 JMD 1,420
$4.25 ฿140
112.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.59 JMD 1,823
$18.79 ฿618
-38.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 JMD 439
$1.76 ฿57.8
58.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 JMD 504
$2.76 ฿90.8
15.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Negril
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.36 ฿44.79
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.36 ฿374
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.09 JMD 171
$3.14 ฿103
-65.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.24 JMD 510
$1.04 ฿34.10
211.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.15 JMD 967
$13.77 ฿453
-55.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 JMD 201
$1.34 ฿44.26
-4.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.9K JMD 6.7M
$27.7K ฿911.1K
54.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K JMD 5.4M
$33.9K ฿1.1M
0.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 JMD 25.8K
$124 ฿4,069
32.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.38 JMD 3,520
$13.52 ฿445
65.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.6 JMD 8,121
$18.69 ฿615
176.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$61.8 ฿2,035
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25 ฿568
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.20 JMD 2,076
$9.14 ฿301
44.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 JMD 36.2K
$703 ฿23.1K
-67.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,528 JMD 397.6K
$15.9K ฿522.5K
-84.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.42 JMD 4,156
$59.5 ฿1,958
-55.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.97 JMD 4,085
$35.07 ฿1,154
-25.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.8 JMD 11.1K
$115 ฿3,795
-38.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.4 JMD 12.2K
$84.1 ฿2,767
-7.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Negril
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$984 JMD 154.7K
$619 ฿20.4K
59.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$433 ฿14.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,062 ฿67.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,511 ฿49.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,646 ฿120.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,626 ฿86.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Negril
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$507 ฿16.7K
-
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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $984 in Negril and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Negril vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $293 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 47% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $1,261 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 $1,289 in Negril and $1,892 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: $984 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 $703 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 $859 in Negril versus $1,261 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 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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