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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $864 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,339 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,814 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Phuket costs about 43% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Barranquilla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$4.81 COP 17.4K

-3.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$31.59 COP 114.0K

48.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.29 COP 26.3K

21.26%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.77 COP 6,391

69.49%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.87 COP 3,137

-14.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.59 COP 2,137

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.29 COP 4,666

89.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.00 COP 7,208

80.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.93 COP 3,373

143.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.33 COP 4,789

38.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.07 COP 3,861

109.35%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.00 COP 7,204

16.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.57 COP 16.5K

330.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.23 COP 18.9K

-30.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.17 COP 25.9K

82.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.80 COP 10.1K

21.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.31 COP 4,728

25.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.51 COP 5,436

59.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.84 COP 3,017

141.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.97 COP 3,490

60.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.44 COP 5,202

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.82 COP 2,963

24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.63 COP 2,268

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.87 COP 10.4K

55.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$10.26 COP 37.1K

84.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.86 COP 3,089

106.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.33 COP 4,800

106.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.72 COP 2,594

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$32.88 COP 118.7K

-65.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.97 COP 7,108

58.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.83 COP 10.2K

-64.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.88 COP 17.6K

188.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.97 COP 3,519

39.18%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$15.1K COP 54.5M

80.04%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.6K COP 81.6M

45.72%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$138 COP 496.8K

-9.17%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$8.08 COP 29.2K

67.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$21.93 COP 79.2K

-15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$21.32 COP 77.0K

188.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$14.65 COP 52.9K

14.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.26 COP 15.4K

115.73%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$61.3 COP 221.2K

1039.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$1,815 COP 6.6M

759.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$62.6 COP 226.1K

-7.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$53.3 COP 192.4K

-33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$78.9 COP 284.7K

43.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$72.5 COP 261.7K

19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$235 COP 848.1K

162.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$221 COP 797.4K

101.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$543 COP 2.0M

277.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$467 COP 1.7M

219.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,640 COP 5.9M

130.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$628 COP 2.3M

321.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$506 COP 1.8M

3.46%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $235 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 3% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $32.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $172 – 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 43% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,296 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $32.00 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $864 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 $864, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $864 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 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.