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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $904 in Ocho Rios.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,927 in Ocho Rios.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,950 in Ocho Rios.

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than in Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.61 JMD 1,202

-40.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$62.1 JMD 9,805

-25.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.24 JMD 984

41.67%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.79 JMD 440

9.68%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.37 JMD 217

-46.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.74 JMD 117

-45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.22 JMD 350

9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.07 JMD 485

23.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$4.08 JMD 644

-44.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.80 JMD 441

-35.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.56 JMD 245

44.23%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.53 JMD 557

-36.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.64 JMD 1,047

193.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.47 JMD 1,021

-43.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.54 JMD 1,190

73.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$6.08 JMD 959

-46.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$3.14 JMD 496

-48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$4.34 JMD 685

-45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.35 JMD 370

-13.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.04 JMD 322

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.93 JMD 304

-22.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$2.10 JMD 331

-53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.12 JMD 177

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$8.97 JMD 1,416

-50.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.70 JMD 1,530

88.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.42 JMD 382

-23.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.92 JMD 461

-8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.60 JMD 252

-11.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.66 JMD 104

371.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.93 JMD 147

11.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$6.23 JMD 982

126.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.24 JMD 196

5.65%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$42.5K JMD 6.7M

-34.59%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

-1.91%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$107 JMD 16.8K

14.79%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$21.93 JMD 3,460

-38.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$39.44 JMD 6,223

-52.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$15.78 JMD 2,490

283.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$5.71 JMD 901

197.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$11.31 JMD 1,784

-19.81%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$228 JMD 35.9K

210.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,464 JMD 388.9K

541.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$15.78 JMD 2,490

271.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$12.51 JMD 1,974

182.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$49.26 JMD 7,773

134.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$62.4 JMD 9,843

34.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$372 JMD 58.7K

68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$187 JMD 29.6K

137.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,194 JMD 188.4K

70.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$1,184 JMD 186.7K

26.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $372 in Ocho Rios. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $62.0 in Ocho Rios for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $311 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,355 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: $626 in Phuket versus $372 in Ocho Rios. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $228 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $904 in Ocho Rios versus $1,250 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 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.