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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Phuket costs about 6% more than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.17 JMD 1,753

-60.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

-58.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.69 JMD 1,363

2.76%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.50 JMD 863

-47.27%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.94 JMD 147

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.70 JMD 110

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.27 JMD 356

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.08 JMD 483

20.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$3.40 JMD 534

-45.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.70 JMD 424

-45.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.40 JMD 220

10.71%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.60 JMD 565

-41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.30 JMD 1,773

73.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.25 JMD 981

-45.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.17 JMD 1,438

24.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.18 JMD 656

-28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.50 JMD 392

-32.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$7.53 JMD 1,181

-70.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.48 JMD 388

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.47 JMD 388

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.74 JMD 430

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.53 JMD 397

-55.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.83 JMD 130

-33.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$9.48 JMD 1,487

-55.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$11.31 JMD 1,774

68.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.84 JMD 445

-37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.92 JMD 614

-29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.92 JMD 144

142.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.96 JMD 151

215.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$3.16 JMD 496

-67.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.28 JMD 984

-38.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.33 JMD 209

12.03%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

-40.87%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-18.95%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$176 JMD 27.6K

-41.70%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$22.70 JMD 3,561

-50.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$48.70 JMD 7,640

-64.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$43.86 JMD 6,881

18.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$8.53 JMD 1,338

-9.85%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$362 JMD 56.8K

54.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$8,159 JMD 1.3M

41.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$23.95 JMD 3,757

163.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$31.22 JMD 4,899

-5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$69.3 JMD 10.9K

41.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$103 JMD 16.1K

-13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$315 JMD 49.4K

134.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$221 JMD 34.7K

118.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$964 JMD 151.2K

118.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$969 JMD 152.1K

26.45%

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)

$494 ฿16.5K

$605 JMD 94.9K

-18.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $315 in Montego Bay. 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $77.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $330 – 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

Phuket vs Montego Bay: 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,749 in Montego Bay. 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $77.0 in Montego Bay. 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.