Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Portmore Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Portmore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,243 in Portmore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,094 in Portmore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,944 in Portmore.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 1% less than in Portmore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Portmore 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.22 JMD 1,602

-56.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$62.2 JMD 9,744

-48.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.98 JMD 1,408

-0.56%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$5.19 JMD 814

-44.12%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.92 JMD 144

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.65 JMD 102

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$2.17 JMD 341

8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.18 JMD 341

70.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$3.10 JMD 486

-39.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$3.55 JMD 556

-58.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.00 JMD 156

55.00%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$3.48 JMD 545

-39.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$11.36 JMD 1,780

72.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.46 JMD 1,012

-47.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$9.35 JMD 1,465

21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$6.05 JMD 948

-50.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$3.94 JMD 618

-57.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.93 JMD 460

-24.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$3.00 JMD 470

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$3.18 JMD 498

-52.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$2.60 JMD 407

-48.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$1.57 JMD 247

-28.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$1.24 JMD 195

-55.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$9.26 JMD 1,451

-54.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$11.47 JMD 1,797

66.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$2.93 JMD 459

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.16 JMD 338

28.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$2.35 JMD 368

-5.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

$51.3 JMD 8,042

-55.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.99 JMD 156

206.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$3.23 JMD 506

-68.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$6.21 JMD 973

-37.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.27 JMD 199

17.32%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

-40.86%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

-19.16%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$161 JMD 25.3K

-36.46%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$29.50 JMD 4,623

-61.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$53.6 JMD 8,401

-67.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$59.6 JMD 9,343

-12.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$13.54 JMD 2,122

-43.21%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$284 JMD 44.6K

97.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

270.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$23.31 JMD 3,654

170.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$32.31 JMD 5,064

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

-6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$313 JMD 49.1K

135.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$219 JMD 34.3K

120.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$659 JMD 103.2K

219.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$607 JMD 95.1K

101.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

-52.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

-54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

-61.86%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Portmore: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $313 in Portmore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmore pays 162% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $62.0 in Portmore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $337 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 Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 162% lower in Portmore. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $313 in Portmore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $284 in Portmore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Portmore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,243 in Portmore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Portmore. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Phuket and Portmore 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Portmore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.