Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Negril

For one person, living is cheaper in Negril: $927 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Phuket, Thailand
Negril, Jamaica
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Negril
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$927
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Negril

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Negril actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $927 in Negril.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Negril $927

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,478 in Negril.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Negril $1,478

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,029 in Negril.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Negril $2,029

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than in Negril, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Negril 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Negril
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$9.68 JMD 1,526
-53.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$49.26 JMD 7,767
-34.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$8.05 JMD 1,269
9.44%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$2.05 JMD 323
38.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$1.15 JMD 181
-24.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$0.74 JMD 117
-33.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$2.16 JMD 341
18.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.19 JMD 503
15.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Negril
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$4.02 JMD 634
-58.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$3.37 JMD 532
-56.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.58 JMD 249
-5.06%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$3.51 JMD 554
-40.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$11.25 JMD 1,773
69.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$6.33 JMD 998
-47.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$10.19 JMD 1,606
7.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$6.06 JMD 956
-51.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$3.96 JMD 624
-57.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$7.47 JMD 1,177
-69.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$2.99 JMD 471
-30.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$3.15 JMD 497
-52.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$2.58 JMD 406
-46.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$2.99 JMD 472
-64.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$1.44 JMD 227
-63.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$9.33 JMD 1,471
-54.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$11.27 JMD 1,776
66.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$2.92 JMD 460
-37.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$3.94 JMD 622
-27.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Negril
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.22 JMD 193
147.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$3.23 JMD 509
-68.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$6.36 JMD 1,002
-41.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.47 JMD 232
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$43.7K JMD 6.9M
-38.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$32.6K JMD 5.1M
-18.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Negril
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$166 JMD 26.2K
-42.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$29.95 JMD 4,722
-62.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$51.9 JMD 8,179
-67.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Negril
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$13.26 JMD 2,090
-43.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Negril
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$362 JMD 57.0K
31.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$8,121 JMD 1.3M
38.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Negril
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$23.75 JMD 3,745
162.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$30.90 JMD 4,873
-8.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$76.9 JMD 12.1K
22.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$104 JMD 16.4K
-17.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Negril
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$1,005 JMD 158.5K
-28.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Negril
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
-
-
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Negril: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Negril
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Negril
$378 42% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Negril
$248 99.3% $124
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Negril
$106 13.1% $16
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Negril
$151 24% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Negril
$27 * 67.8% $56
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Negril
$17 * 75.4% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,005 in Negril. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $49 in Negril for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $378 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇯🇲 Negril
🕒 Local time
04:07 4:07 AM
16:07 4:07 PM
12 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
13,779
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Negril 17,080 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Negril

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Negril?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $927 in Negril, so Negril is about 27% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Negril?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $1,390 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Negril?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,005 in Negril. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Negril?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $362 in Negril. 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 Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $49 in Negril. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $927 in Negril versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 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 Phuket and Negril?
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.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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