Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Cartago vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Cartago vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Cartago vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Cartago is about 2% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cartago and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Cartago 10% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 COP 24.1K

$4.56 ฿150

67.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.34 COP 120.5K

$32.62 ฿1,073

17.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$8.90 ฿293

-3.15%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,068

$2.80 ฿92.2

-42.50%

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

$1.30 COP 4,095

$0.88 ฿28.94

47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,724

$0.49 ฿16.08

77.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,820

$2.39 ฿78.5

30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 COP 12.1K

$3.71 ฿122

4.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 COP 5,121

$1.79 ฿58.8

-8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 COP 6,272

$1.44 ฿47.40

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,689

$1.58 ฿52.1

-5.70%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,089

$2.13 ฿69.9

35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.44 COP 20.3K

$19.92 ฿655

-67.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 COP 21.8K

$3.43 ฿113

102.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 COP 31.7K

$11.33 ฿372

-10.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 COP 11.1K

$2.95 ฿97.0

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,248

$1.72 ฿56.6

-21.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,703

$2.32 ฿76.5

-21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 COP 5,231

$2.08 ฿68.4

-20.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,514

$1.47 ฿48.34

-2.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,968

$1.36 ฿44.65

16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 COP 3,586

$1.10 ฿36.13

3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 COP 3,186

$0.57 ฿18.89

77.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.6K

$4.27 ฿140

-13.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 COP 40.7K

$18.42 ฿606

-29.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,742

$1.87 ฿61.5

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 COP 7,999

$2.92 ฿96.1

-13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 COP 3,731

$2.22 ฿73.0

-46.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 COP 2,688

$3.03 ฿99.6

-71.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 COP 5,876

$1.07 ฿35.32

74.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.93 ฿129

104.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 COP 4,191

$1.49 ฿49.06

-10.74%

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

$23.6K COP 74.1M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-13.10%

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

$35.9K COP 112.8M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

30.72%

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

$113 COP 356.4K

$103 ฿3,380

10.30%

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

$13.29 COP 41.8K

$10.99 ฿361

20.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 COP 99.0K

$17.51 ฿576

79.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.54 COP 111.7K

$53.5 ฿1,760

-33.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 COP 26.7K

$7.48 ฿246

13.50%

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

$658 COP 2.1M

$557 ฿18.3K

18.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 COP 20.8M

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-44.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 COP 247.3K

$64.1 ฿2,107

22.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 173.3K

$29.07 ฿956

89.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 395.7K

$96.0 ฿3,155

31.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.5K

$90.3 ฿2,970

20.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$730 ฿24.0K

-11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 COP 1.6M

$500 ฿16.4K

0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 COP 3.5M

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-46.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 COP 3.2M

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-16.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,687 COP 5.3M

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-53.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.0M

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-24.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

5.57

107.90%

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

Last update for Cartago: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $646 in Cartago 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Cartago versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Cartago vs $273 in Phuket – so Cartago 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

Cartago vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Cartago 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 Cartago, 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 $1,232 in Cartago and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $658 per month in Cartago 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 Cartago, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Cartago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cartago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cartago. 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.