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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $948 in Negril.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,482 in Negril.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,016 in Negril.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than in Negril, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Negril 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$9.40 JMD 1,476

-50.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$50.8 JMD 7,981

-36.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.93 JMD 1,403

-2.80%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.05 JMD 322

41.46%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.24 JMD 195

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.73 JMD 115

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.25 JMD 354

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.20 JMD 502

16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$4.22 JMD 663

-55.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$3.57 JMD 561

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.62 JMD 255

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.60 JMD 565

-37.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.32 JMD 1,777

75.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.19 JMD 972

-43.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.20 JMD 1,602

11.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.22 JMD 977

-53.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$4.01 JMD 629

-57.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$7.55 JMD 1,186

-69.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$2.97 JMD 466

-28.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.31 JMD 519

-55.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.67 JMD 419

-46.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.00 JMD 471

-63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.45 JMD 228

-58.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.53 JMD 1,497

-54.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.53 JMD 1,812

61.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.85 JMD 447

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.99 JMD 626

-25.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.21 JMD 191

156.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.25 JMD 511

-66.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.17 JMD 970

-37.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.40 JMD 219

2.14%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$44.1K JMD 6.9M

-36.97%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$32.7K JMD 5.1M

-17.53%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$175 JMD 27.5K

-40.15%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.72 JMD 4,669

-61.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$53.8 JMD 8,448

-67.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$13.46 JMD 2,114

-42.20%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$367 JMD 57.6K

57.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,347 JMD 1.3M

38.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$23.68 JMD 3,719

168.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$31.28 JMD 4,914

-6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$78.7 JMD 12.4K

22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$102 JMD 16.0K

-11.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$1,010 JMD 158.7K

-27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Negril: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $1,010 in Negril. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in Negril for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $384 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

Phuket vs Negril: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Negril differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $948 including rent). Negril is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,422 in Negril 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $1,010 in Negril. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $367 in Negril. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negril – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $948 in Negril versus $1,265 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.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Negril are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Negril gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.