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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,512 in Cartago versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,121 in Cartago versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Cartago versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Cartago is roughly 19% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartago is 13% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 ₡3,615

$4.70 ฿153

69.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 ₡14.3K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-30.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 ₡4,172

$8.43 ฿275

8.78%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₡1,738

$2.93 ฿95.6

30.38%

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

$1.93 ₡880

$0.69 ฿22.40

179.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₡558

$0.37 ฿11.99

232.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 ₡913

$2.41 ฿78.6

-16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₡2,159

$3.72 ฿122

27.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₡894

$2.23 ฿72.9

-12.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ₡996

$1.83 ฿59.8

19.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡976

$2.17 ฿70.8

-0.92%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,325

$2.21 ฿72.3

31.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 ₡3,566

$19.74 ฿645

-60.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.30 ₡4,228

$3.63 ฿119

156.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 ₡6,199

$13.53 ฿442

0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₡2,014

$3.28 ฿107

35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ₡534

$1.61 ฿52.6

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 ₡1,832

$2.41 ฿78.6

67.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ₡1,201

$2.08 ฿68.1

26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ₡890

$1.53 ฿49.93

28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₡899

$1.48 ฿48.36

33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡471

$0.99 ฿32.29

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡884

$0.51 ฿16.67

280.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 ₡2,326

$4.41 ฿144

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 ₡6,960

$19.38 ฿633

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,112

$1.78 ฿58.1

37.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₡820

$2.71 ฿88.6

-33.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡461

$1.37 ฿44.79

-26.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 ₡31.4K

$11.39 ฿372

505.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₡622

$3.02 ฿98.6

-54.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡848

$0.99 ฿32.48

87.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ₡3,599

$14.10 ฿461

-43.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡643

$1.36 ฿44.51

3.68%

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

$37.4K ₡17.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

32.70%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-1.72%

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

$49.02 ₡22.3K

$122 ฿3,975

-59.72%

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

$25.60 ₡11.6K

$13.57 ฿443

88.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ₡26.3K

$18.31 ฿598

216.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡26.0K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-4.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.06 ₡10.9K

$17.14 ฿560

40.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ₡2,944

$8.69 ฿284

-25.55%

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

$491 ₡223.1K

$693 ฿22.6K

-29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,189 ₡3.3M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-54.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ₡28.0K

$59.5 ฿1,944

3.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 ₡23.5K

$34.77 ฿1,136

48.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ₡49.4K

$115 ฿3,743

-5.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 ₡36.6K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡345.6K

$613 ฿20.0K

23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₡273.6K

$437 ฿14.3K

37.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₡333.9K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡350.1K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-49.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 ₡596.8K

$508 ฿16.6K

158.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

87.62%

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

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Cartago and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 158% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Cartago vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $315 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cartago pays 158% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $760 in Cartago versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 506% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Cartago versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,512 in Cartago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cartago and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.