Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barranquilla Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Barranquilla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $878 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,369 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,860 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Phuket costs about 44% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Barranquilla 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.71 COP 14.8K

-4.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$31.31 COP 98.6K

45.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.10 COP 22.4K

23.38%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.74 COP 5,486

70.69%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.92 COP 2,885

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.65 COP 2,047

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.30 COP 4,095

94.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.97 COP 6,190

90.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.97 COP 3,067

121.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.28 COP 4,036

42.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.06 COP 3,327

105.66%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.99 COP 6,269

13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.71 COP 14.8K

324.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.03 COP 15.8K

-27.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.19 COP 22.6K

88.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.89 COP 9,091

12.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.35 COP 4,237

21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.56 COP 4,906

49.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.77 COP 2,428

168.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.89 COP 2,802

74.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.43 COP 4,503

2.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.82 COP 2,585

19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.61 COP 1,924

-21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.75 COP 8,668

58.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$11.43 COP 36.0K

62.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.84 COP 2,658

121.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.29 COP 4,048

105.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.71 COP 2,246

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$32.48 COP 102.3K

-64.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.98 COP 6,227

60.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.86 COP 9,000

-63.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$4.85 COP 15.3K

186.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.97 COP 3,062

38.14%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$15.2K COP 47.7M

83.40%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.0K COP 69.4M

51.41%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$140 COP 440.8K

-12.11%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$8.24 COP 25.9K

67.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$21.81 COP 68.7K

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$21.14 COP 66.6K

187.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$14.66 COP 46.1K

17.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.35 COP 13.7K

103.91%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$61.6 COP 194.0K

1016.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$1,791 COP 5.6M

781.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$61.7 COP 194.2K

-3.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$54.2 COP 170.6K

-35.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$80.6 COP 253.7K

42.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$72.8 COP 229.3K

15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$242 COP 762.6K

156.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$224 COP 705.4K

99.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$539 COP 1.7M

277.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$468 COP 1.5M

219.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,860 COP 5.9M

85.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$712 COP 2.2M

255.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$573 COP 1.8M

-13.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $242 in Barranquilla. 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 16% higher in Barranquilla, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $174 – making Barranquilla 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

Phuket vs Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 44% more than Barranquilla, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,318 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barranquilla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $31.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $878 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $878 versus $1,264 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 Barranquilla. 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.