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 $1,062 per month in Cartagena vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Cartagena vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Cartagena vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Cartagena is about 14% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 21% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 COP 22.4K

$4.63 ฿151

33.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.58 COP 173.1K

$46.84 ฿1,523

1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 COP 35.8K

$8.84 ฿287

11.43%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,992

$3.00 ฿97.4

-45.00%

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

$0.81 COP 2,936

$0.74 ฿24.11

9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,425

$0.37 ฿11.88

81.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,717

$2.44 ฿79.3

-46.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 COP 10.7K

$3.61 ฿117

-18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,155

$2.26 ฿73.5

-49.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 6,765

$1.84 ฿59.8

1.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,819

$2.24 ฿73.0

-40.63%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 7,661

$2.32 ฿75.3

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 25.7K

$19.67 ฿639

-64.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.5K

$3.65 ฿119

61.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 COP 29.6K

$13.10 ฿426

-37.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 COP 11.6K

$3.39 ฿110

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 COP 7,111

$1.64 ฿53.4

19.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,465

$2.41 ฿78.5

-37.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,732

$2.03 ฿66.0

-22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,630

$1.56 ฿50.6

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,921

$1.50 ฿48.66

-28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,646

$1.02 ฿33.30

-1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,160

$0.49 ฿15.91

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,567

$4.45 ฿145

-46.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 COP 67.3K

$18.88 ฿614

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,392

$1.78 ฿57.7

-47.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,737

$2.75 ฿89.5

-62.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,834

$1.40 ฿45.54

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 102.1K

$11.48 ฿373

144.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 8,666

$3.12 ฿101

-23.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 8,619

$1.00 ฿32.48

137.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 COP 17.9K

$14.09 ฿458

-65.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,736

$1.35 ฿43.93

-23.70%

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

$20.9K COP 75.9M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-23.21%

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

$23.6K COP 85.9M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-28.24%

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

$142 COP 518.0K

$125 ฿4,063

13.95%

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

$10.96 COP 39.8K

$13.57 ฿441

-19.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 COP 91.5K

$18.52 ฿602

35.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 COP 128.3K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 COP 32.2K

$16.84 ฿547

-47.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.7K

$9.19 ฿299

-68.01%

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

$142 COP 516.2K

$698 ฿22.7K

-79.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 COP 21.5M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-62.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 COP 175.1K

$57.8 ฿1,878

-16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 COP 143.5K

$35.24 ฿1,146

11.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 448.6K

$113 ฿3,677

9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 416.7K

$86.4 ฿2,808

32.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 COP 2.7M

$616 ฿20.0K

20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 COP 1.2M

$446 ฿14.5K

-25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 COP 4.8M

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-36.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.7M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-67.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.2M

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-18.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.2M

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-25.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

$524 ฿17.0K

-19.76%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Cartagena versus $616 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 25% 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 $48.00 in Cartagena versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Cartagena vs $292 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 16% 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 $1,593 per month in Cartagena and $1,847 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 $142 per month in Cartagena and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,062, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,062 versus $1,232 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.