Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenaventura and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenaventura and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $803 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,648 per month in Buenaventura vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Buenaventura is about 36% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Buenaventura and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 40% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 COP 14.2K

$4.56 ฿150

-12.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.67 COP 84.4K

$46.63 ฿1,535

-49.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 26.6K

$8.47 ฿279

-11.81%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 5,349

$3.03 ฿99.7

-50.50%

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

$0.86 COP 3,067

$0.69 ฿22.69

24.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,201

$0.37 ฿12.04

67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 4,312

$2.49 ฿81.9

-51.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 7,978

$3.66 ฿120

-38.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$2.18 ฿71.8

-50.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,450

$1.90 ฿62.6

-34.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,082

$2.20 ฿72.4

-48.18%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,693

$2.22 ฿73.2

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.4K

$19.99 ฿658

-78.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 COP 18.8K

$3.66 ฿121

43.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 COP 26.9K

$13.25 ฿436

-43.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 COP 8,934

$3.23 ฿106

-22.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,947

$1.70 ฿55.9

-34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,625

$2.39 ฿78.8

-45.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,091

$2.08 ฿68.4

-58.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,029

$1.59 ฿52.4

-28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,999

$1.48 ฿48.83

-24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,130

$1.03 ฿33.90

-14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,497

$0.52 ฿17.01

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 COP 8,195

$4.25 ฿140

-45.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 COP 36.5K

$18.79 ฿618

-45.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,055

$1.76 ฿57.8

-35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 6,102

$2.76 ฿90.8

-38.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,609

$1.36 ฿44.79

-46.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 COP 107.7K

$11.36 ฿374

165.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,081

$3.14 ฿103

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 COP 6,121

$1.04 ฿34.10

65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 COP 21.3K

$13.77 ฿453

-56.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,583

$1.34 ฿44.26

-25.37%

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

$17.7K COP 63.0M

$27.7K ฿911.1K

-36.16%

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

$25.6K COP 91.3M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-24.38%

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

$83.1 COP 296.2K

$124 ฿4,069

-32.79%

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

$8.91 COP 31.8K

$13.52 ฿445

-34.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.83 COP 81.4K

$18.69 ฿615

22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 COP 82.8K

$61.8 ฿2,035

-62.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 COP 14.3K

$9.14 ฿301

-56.13%

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

$235 COP 836.4K

$703 ฿23.1K

-66.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,923 COP 21.1M

$15.9K ฿522.5K

-62.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 COP 208.9K

$59.5 ฿1,958

-1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.76 COP 116.8K

$35.07 ฿1,154

-6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 COP 300.2K

$115 ฿3,795

-26.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 COP 261.8K

$84.1 ฿2,767

-12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 1.0M

$619 ฿20.4K

-54.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 850.3K

$433 ฿14.2K

-44.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 COP 1.9M

$2,062 ฿67.9K

-74.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 COP 1.5M

$1,511 ฿49.7K

-71.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,606 COP 5.7M

$3,646 ฿120.0K

-55.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 COP 4.4M

$2,626 ฿86.4K

-52.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$553 COP 2.0M

$507 ฿16.7K

9.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

5.33

147.28%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Buenaventura versus $619 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 9% higher in Buenaventura, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Buenaventura versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $293 – making Buenaventura 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

Buenaventura vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $803 in Buenaventura, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 57% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,204 per month in Buenaventura and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 68% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Buenaventura and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenaventura, where all-in costs run around $803, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Buenaventura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $803 in Buenaventura to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Buenaventura. 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.