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: $1,674 in Cartago versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,346 in Cartago versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,018 in Cartago versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Cartago is roughly 36% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartago is 22% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 ₡3,983

$4.41 ฿147

103.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.29 ₡15.7K

$32.26 ฿1,077

9.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 ₡4,474

$8.93 ฿298

12.77%

Cappuccino

$4.52 ₡2,008

$2.90 ฿96.6

55.86%

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

$2.23 ₡993

$0.88 ฿29.38

153.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₡640

$0.48 ฿16.06

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 ₡970

$2.35 ฿78.5

-7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₡1,884

$3.72 ฿124

13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 ₡1,090

$1.87 ฿62.3

31.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 ₡1,059

$1.47 ฿48.94

61.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,122

$1.55 ฿51.8

63.23%

Eggs

$3.52 ₡1,566

$2.10 ฿70.1

67.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ₡3,926

$19.59 ฿654

-54.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 ₡4,611

$3.42 ฿114

203.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,185

$11.38 ฿380

22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,257

$2.98 ฿99.6

70.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ₡576

$1.68 ฿56.2

-22.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,018

$2.21 ฿73.7

105.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,370

$2.16 ฿72.1

42.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₡1,016

$1.52 ฿50.9

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 ₡995

$1.34 ฿44.67

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡489

$1.13 ฿37.67

-2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₡1,002

$0.55 ฿18.24

309.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 ₡2,643

$4.26 ฿142

39.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 ₡6,888

$19.09 ฿637

-18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,244

$1.78 ฿59.4

57.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡878

$2.78 ฿92.9

-29.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 ₡574

$2.23 ฿74.4

-42.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 ₡34.0K

$22.74 ฿759

236.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ₡597

$3.03 ฿101

-55.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 ₡701

$1.02 ฿34.15

54.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₡4,005

$3.89 ฿130

131.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡668

$1.49 ฿49.77

0.67%

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

$21.9K ₡9.7M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-17.74%

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

$34.9K ₡15.5M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

28.98%

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

$54.2 ₡24.1K

$102 ฿3,420

-47.09%

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

$36.97 ₡16.4K

$11.33 ฿378

226.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 ₡27.7K

$17.40 ฿581

258.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 ₡32.9K

$52.1 ฿1,738

42.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$77.4 ₡34.4K

$11.07 ฿370

598.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ₡3,146

$7.69 ฿257

-7.93%

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

$559 ₡248.6K

$561 ฿18.7K

-0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,916 ₡3.5M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-31.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ₡32.5K

$63.0 ฿2,104

15.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡24.8K

$29.52 ฿986

89.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.1K

$98.0 ฿3,272

26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 ₡39.7K

$88.5 ฿2,954

0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 ₡388.3K

$738 ฿24.6K

18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 ₡319.1K

$482 ฿16.1K

48.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 ₡832.7K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-11.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡325.8K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-40.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,335 ₡593.3K

$494 ฿16.5K

170.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

5.57

57.63%

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

Last update for Cartago: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $874 in Cartago and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 170% 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: $35.00 in Cartago vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $274 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 170% higher in Cartago, 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: $874 in Cartago versus $738 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 237% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $559 in Cartago versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,674 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 36% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.