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 $1,287 in Montego Bay, rent included.

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

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

Phuket is about 4% cheaper than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.69 JMD 1,208

-39.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$50.9 JMD 7,988

-7.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.30 JMD 1,147

21.10%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$4.38 JMD 688

-31.51%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.37 JMD 216

-45.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.71 JMD 112

-47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.48 JMD 389

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.08 JMD 484

17.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.52 JMD 396

-10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.68 JMD 421

-31.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.57 JMD 246

42.68%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.60 JMD 565

-35.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$11.03 JMD 1,732

78.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.43 JMD 1,010

-43.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.77 JMD 1,220

68.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.37 JMD 529

0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$3.09 JMD 486

-46.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.84 JMD 445

-15.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.76 JMD 277

15.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.12 JMD 333

-26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.13 JMD 177

32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.91 JMD 300

-46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.93 JMD 146

-47.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$8.61 JMD 1,352

-48.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$11.46 JMD 1,800

64.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.11 JMD 331

-15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.06 JMD 481

-10.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.93 JMD 146

50.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.93 JMD 146

235.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$3.22 JMD 505

-68.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.37 JMD 1,001

121.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.24 JMD 195

8.87%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$42.3K JMD 6.6M

-35.72%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-3.46%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$163 JMD 25.6K

-23.23%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$21.26 JMD 3,339

-36.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$47.70 JMD 7,491

-61.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$37.35 JMD 5,866

64.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.54 JMD 1,185

21.88%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$62.6 JMD 9,827

1015.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$1,882 JMD 295.6K

728.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$26.12 JMD 4,102

121.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$20.10 JMD 3,157

75.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$66.2 JMD 10.4K

70.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$257 JMD 40.3K

139.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$461 JMD 72.4K

-3.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$669 JMD 105.0K

206.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$431 JMD 67.7K

245.93%

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)

$524 ฿17.1K

$562 JMD 88.3K

-6.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-33.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $257 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 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $51.0 in Montego Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $284 in Montego Bay – 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

Phuket vs Montego Bay: 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,931 in Montego Bay. 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $51.0 in Montego Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 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.