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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,122 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 18% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Barranquilla sits 8% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$4.56 ฿152

84.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 COP 197.2K

$32.62 ฿1,086

91.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 COP 40.0K

$8.90 ฿296

42.25%

Cappuccino

$2.78 COP 8,783

$2.80 ฿93.4

-0.71%

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

$1.34 COP 4,215

$0.88 ฿29.31

52.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 COP 4,084

$0.49 ฿16.29

163.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 COP 12.8K

$2.39 ฿79.5

69.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 COP 25.1K

$3.71 ฿124

114.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 2,780

$1.79 ฿59.5

-50.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$1.44 ฿48.00

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,106

$1.58 ฿52.8

2.53%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 6,612

$2.13 ฿70.8

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 COP 15.7K

$19.92 ฿663

-75.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 COP 56.6K

$3.43 ฿114

423.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 COP 22.5K

$11.33 ฿377

-37.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,160

$2.95 ฿98.2

-23.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,933

$1.72 ฿57.3

-45.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 COP 1,904

$2.32 ฿77.4

-74.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 COP 5,841

$2.08 ฿69.3

-11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,943

$1.47 ฿48.96

-14.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,089

$1.36 ฿45.22

-27.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 COP 3,950

$1.10 ฿36.59

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 2,947

$0.57 ฿19.13

63.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 COP 16.1K

$4.27 ฿142

19.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 COP 40.6K

$18.42 ฿613

-30.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 COP 4,855

$1.87 ฿62.3

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.4K

$2.92 ฿97.3

66.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 COP 3,800

$2.22 ฿73.9

-45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 COP 10.9K

$3.03 ฿101

14.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 COP 10.2K

$1.07 ฿35.77

200.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 COP 49.2K

$3.93 ฿131

296.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,230

$1.49 ฿49.68

-10.07%

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

$22.1K COP 69.7M

$27.1K ฿903.4K

-18.61%

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

$29.2K COP 92.2M

$27.5K ฿914.1K

6.44%

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

$151 COP 475.8K

$103 ฿3,423

46.67%

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

$14.54 COP 45.9K

$10.99 ฿366

32.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 COP 103.1K

$17.51 ฿583

86.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 COP 108.9K

$53.5 ฿1,783

-35.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$7.48 ฿249

-35.56%

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

$323 COP 1.0M

$557 ฿18.5K

-42.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 COP 14.8M

$11.9K ฿394.7K

-60.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 COP 353.1K

$64.1 ฿2,134

74.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 COP 148.7K

$29.07 ฿968

62.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$190 COP 599.2K

$96.0 ฿3,195

97.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$255 COP 804.8K

$90.3 ฿3,008

182.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 COP 2.5M

$730 ฿24.3K

8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.6M

$500 ฿16.6K

0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 COP 2.5M

$2,090 ฿69.6K

-61.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 COP 2.9M

$1,209 ฿40.3K

-24.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 COP 5.9M

$3,596 ฿119.7K

-47.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 COP 2.0M

$2,512 ฿83.7K

-74.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 COP 1.6M

$503 ฿16.8K

1.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

79.53%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Barranquilla versus $730 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 2% higher in Barranquilla, 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 $63.0 in Barranquilla versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Barranquilla vs $273 in Phuket – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Barranquilla costs about 18% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,220 per month in Barranquilla and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,480 in Barranquilla and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $323 per month in Barranquilla and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Barranquilla at $1,480. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,253 versus $1,480 in Barranquilla. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barranquilla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.