Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ocho Rios Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ocho Rios

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $928 in Ocho Rios.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,932 in Ocho Rios.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,936 in Ocho Rios.

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ocho Rios 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$7.32 JMD 1,147

-35.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$62.2 JMD 9,741

-27.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.30 JMD 988

33.81%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.79 JMD 437

5.02%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.38 JMD 216

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.76 JMD 119

-51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.26 JMD 353

6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.17 JMD 497

17.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$3.95 JMD 619

-43.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.72 JMD 426

-32.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.56 JMD 244

39.10%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.47 JMD 544

-36.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.48 JMD 1,015

204.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.34 JMD 994

-42.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.47 JMD 1,171

81.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.90 JMD 924

-44.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$3.16 JMD 495

-49.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$4.11 JMD 644

-41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.26 JMD 354

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.04 JMD 320

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.03 JMD 318

-27.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.08 JMD 327

-52.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.08 JMD 170

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$8.97 JMD 1,405

-50.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$9.63 JMD 1,509

101.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.45 JMD 384

-27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.02 JMD 473

-10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.54 JMD 242

-11.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.65 JMD 101

364.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.96 JMD 150

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.38 JMD 1,000

121.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.28 JMD 201

6.25%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$42.9K JMD 6.7M

-34.28%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

-2.89%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$103 JMD 16.2K

17.77%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$22.01 JMD 3,448

-38.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$38.06 JMD 5,963

-51.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$15.73 JMD 2,465

282.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$5.80 JMD 909

195.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.46 JMD 1,795

-24.17%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$224 JMD 35.1K

209.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,461 JMD 385.6K

537.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$15.92 JMD 2,495

273.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$12.36 JMD 1,937

181.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$50.8 JMD 7,954

125.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$63.2 JMD 9,902

31.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$382 JMD 59.8K

60.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$185 JMD 28.9K

136.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,185 JMD 185.7K

76.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,217 JMD 190.7K

24.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $382 in Ocho Rios. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $62.0 in Ocho Rios for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $306 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 Ocho Rios: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ocho Rios is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,391 in Ocho Rios 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: $613 in Phuket versus $382 in Ocho Rios. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $224 in Ocho Rios. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ocho Rios – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $928 in Ocho Rios versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ocho Rios but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ocho Rios the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ocho Rios is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.