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 $1,070 per month in Cartagena vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Cartagena vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Cartagena vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Cartagena is about 15% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 COP 20.5K

$4.56 ฿149

29.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.71 COP 163.0K

$46.63 ฿1,519

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$8.47 ฿276

11.33%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,658

$3.03 ฿98.6

-46.53%

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

$0.82 COP 2,855

$0.69 ฿22.45

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,309

$0.37 ฿11.92

78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,347

$2.49 ฿81.0

-49.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 COP 10.1K

$3.66 ฿119

-21.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 COP 4,020

$2.18 ฿71.0

-47.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 COP 6,695

$1.90 ฿62.0

1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,818

$2.20 ฿71.6

-37.27%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,317

$2.22 ฿72.4

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 COP 23.5K

$19.99 ฿651

-66.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 COP 21.4K

$3.66 ฿119

67.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 COP 27.3K

$13.25 ฿432

-40.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 COP 11.2K

$3.23 ฿105

-0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,729

$1.70 ฿55.3

13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 COP 5,011

$2.39 ฿78.0

-39.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,757

$2.08 ฿67.7

-20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,378

$1.59 ฿51.8

-3.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,716

$1.48 ฿48.31

-28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,489

$1.03 ฿33.54

-2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,224

$0.52 ฿16.83

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 7,973

$4.25 ฿138

-46.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 COP 64.4K

$18.79 ฿612

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 3,272

$1.76 ฿57.2

-46.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 COP 3,392

$2.76 ฿89.8

-64.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 COP 3,583

$1.36 ฿44.32

-24.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 COP 98.0K

$11.36 ฿370

147.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 8,570

$3.14 ฿102

-21.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 COP 8,521

$1.04 ฿33.74

134.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 COP 16.5K

$13.77 ฿448

-65.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,552

$1.34 ฿43.79

-23.88%

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

$21.4K COP 74.8M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-22.59%

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

$23.6K COP 82.3M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-30.35%

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

$139 COP 486.8K

$124 ฿4,025

12.86%

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

$10.98 COP 38.3K

$13.52 ฿440

-18.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 COP 87.3K

$18.69 ฿609

33.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.52 COP 120.5K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-44.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 COP 29.7K

$17.25 ฿562

-50.72%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 COP 9,936

$9.14 ฿298

-68.82%

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

$139 COP 485.5K

$703 ฿22.9K

-80.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,857 COP 20.4M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-63.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.52 COP 165.9K

$59.5 ฿1,937

-20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.12 COP 133.0K

$35.07 ฿1,142

8.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 440.8K

$115 ฿3,754

9.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 396.4K

$84.1 ฿2,737

35.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 COP 2.5M

$619 ฿20.1K

17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 COP 1.2M

$433 ฿14.1K

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 COP 4.4M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-38.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 COP 1.6M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-69.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 COP 10.7M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-15.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$842 COP 2.9M

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-67.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 COP 1.4M

$507 ฿16.5K

-19.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

181.43%

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

Last update for Cartagena: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $725 in Cartagena 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 24% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $293 – making Cartagena 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

Cartagena vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 18% more than Cartagena, 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 $1,605 per month in Cartagena 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 Cartagena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $139 per month in Cartagena and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $1,070, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,070 versus $1,261 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.