Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Cartagena vs $1,277 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,128 per month in Cartagena vs $2,108 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,987 per month in Cartagena vs $2,940 in Phuket, rent included.

Cartagena is about 1% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 COP 16.1K

$4.62 ฿153

10.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$136 COP 428.1K

$34.40 ฿1,137

296.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 COP 32.0K

$8.56 ฿283

19.16%

Cappuccino

$3.63 COP 11.4K

$2.97 ฿98.3

22.22%

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

$1.86 COP 5,837

$0.82 ฿27.08

126.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 COP 5,790

$0.44 ฿14.53

320.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 COP 6,080

$2.46 ฿81.2

-21.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 COP 15.2K

$3.78 ฿125

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 COP 6,070

$1.86 ฿61.6

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 COP 8,897

$1.47 ฿48.60

93.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,547

$1.56 ฿51.5

-7.05%

Eggs

$5.01 COP 15.7K

$2.20 ฿72.6

127.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 COP 43.0K

$19.59 ฿648

-30.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.87 COP 56.1K

$3.50 ฿116

410.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ฿371

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿97.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿70.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.33

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 COP 6,411

$0.57 ฿18.86

257.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 ฿148

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 COP 46.2K

$18.89 ฿625

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 4,645

$1.88 ฿62.2

-21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,893

$2.33 ฿77.2

-46.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 COP 185.6K

$23.38 ฿773

153.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 COP 14.7K

$2.94 ฿97.3

59.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 COP 11.7K

$1.03 ฿34.13

262.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 COP 29.7K

$3.78 ฿125

150.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,097

$1.45 ฿47.92

-9.66%

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

$24.0K COP 75.3M

$26.8K ฿887.7K

-10.57%

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

$34.3K COP 107.7M

$27.4K ฿905.2K

25.40%

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

$80.6 COP 253.0K

$105 ฿3,474

-23.26%

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

$11.01 ฿364

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.81 ฿589

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.9 COP 294.7K

$53.6 ฿1,774

75.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.23 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 COP 26.2K

$7.80 ฿258

7.05%

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

$630 COP 2.0M

$565 ฿18.7K

11.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 COP 18.2M

$11.5K ฿379.4K

-49.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 ฿2,088

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.09 ฿962

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 ฿3,282

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ฿3,015

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 COP 3.3M

$738 ฿24.4K

42.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 COP 1.8M

$500 ฿16.5K

17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 COP 7.1M

$2,093 ฿69.2K

8.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 COP 3.0M

$1,249 ฿41.3K

-24.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$968 COP 3.0M

$2,542 ฿84.0K

-61.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 COP 1.5M

$512 ฿16.9K

-7.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

169.30%

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

Last update for Cartagena: August 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,050 in Cartagena versus $738 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 8% 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 $136 in Cartagena versus $34.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Cartagena vs $274 in Phuket – so Cartagena 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

Cartagena vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 1% more than Cartagena, 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 $1,905 per month in Cartagena and $1,915 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $630 per month in Cartagena and $565 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Phuket at $1,277. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,270 versus $1,277 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 Cartagena. 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.