Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Barranquilla vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 32% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barranquilla and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 35% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$4.70 ฿153

5.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 COP 110.6K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-31.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$8.43 ฿275

-15.07%

Cappuccino

$1.75 COP 6,267

$2.93 ฿95.6

-40.27%

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

$0.92 COP 3,296

$0.69 ฿22.40

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,146

$0.37 ฿11.99

62.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,886

$2.41 ฿78.6

-43.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,877

$3.72 ฿122

-48.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,360

$2.23 ฿72.9

-57.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 COP 4,749

$1.83 ฿59.8

-27.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,667

$2.17 ฿70.8

-52.53%

Eggs

$2.03 COP 7,266

$2.21 ฿72.3

-8.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 COP 16.1K

$19.74 ฿645

-77.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 18.6K

$3.63 ฿119

43.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$13.53 ฿442

-47.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 COP 10.3K

$3.28 ฿107

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,852

$1.61 ฿52.6

-15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,434

$2.41 ฿78.6

-36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,037

$2.08 ฿68.1

-59.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,226

$1.53 ฿49.93

-41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,361

$1.48 ฿48.36

1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,909

$0.99 ฿32.29

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,202

$0.51 ฿16.67

21.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$4.41 ฿144

-36.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 34.1K

$19.38 ฿633

-50.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 3,179

$1.78 ฿58.1

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,694

$2.71 ฿88.6

-51.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,732

$1.37 ฿44.79

-44.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.20 COP 115.0K

$11.39 ฿372

182.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,848

$3.02 ฿98.6

-36.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 COP 10.1K

$0.99 ฿32.48

184.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$14.10 ฿461

-64.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,584

$1.36 ฿44.51

-26.47%

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

$15.0K COP 53.6M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-46.82%

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

$22.1K COP 78.9M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-32.86%

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

$139 COP 495.3K

$122 ฿3,975

13.97%

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

$8.13 COP 29.0K

$13.57 ฿443

-40.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 COP 76.3K

$18.31 ฿598

16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 COP 76.6K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-64.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.3K

$17.14 ฿560

-16.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 COP 14.8K

$8.69 ฿284

-52.13%

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

$61.2 COP 218.5K

$693 ฿22.6K

-91.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,837 COP 6.6M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-88.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 COP 219.1K

$59.5 ฿1,944

3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 COP 187.8K

$34.77 ฿1,136

51.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 COP 286.7K

$115 ฿3,743

-29.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 255.3K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-14.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 838.4K

$613 ฿20.0K

-61.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 800.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-48.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 COP 1.9M

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-74.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.6M

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-69.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,574 COP 5.6M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-58.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 COP 2.2M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-76.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.7M

$508 ฿16.6K

-4.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

87.62%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Barranquilla versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $293 – making Barranquilla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Barranquilla vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 46% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Barranquilla and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barranquilla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Barranquilla and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $866 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barranquilla. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.