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 $1,491 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,303 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,115 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Phuket is about 17% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Barranquilla is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$8.61 COP 26.9K

-48.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$65.0 COP 202.9K

-50.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$12.70 COP 39.6K

-29.69%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.92 COP 9,119

-0.68%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.43 COP 4,475

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.25 COP 3,905

-61.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$4.07 COP 12.7K

-42.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$7.92 COP 24.7K

-53.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.95 COP 2,958

96.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.27 COP 3,975

15.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.59 COP 4,947

-2.52%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.16 COP 6,745

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$5.22 COP 16.3K

275.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$17.73 COP 55.3K

-80.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.01 COP 21.9K

62.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.29 COP 7,157

30.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.02 COP 3,178

64.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.61 COP 1,907

262.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.98 COP 6,180

9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.27 COP 3,962

19.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.93 COP 2,909

44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.26 COP 3,945

-10.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.95 COP 2,971

-42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.19 COP 16.2K

-17.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$13.10 COP 40.9K

45.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.65 COP 5,136

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$4.72 COP 14.7K

-41.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.17 COP 3,664

90.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.47 COP 10.8K

-12.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$3.27 COP 10.2K

-68.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$16.40 COP 51.2K

-76.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.31 COP 4,081

13.74%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$23.0K COP 71.7M

15.71%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$30.3K COP 94.6M

-10.80%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$155 COP 485.1K

-34.09%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$14.79 COP 46.2K

-23.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$33.21 COP 103.6K

-47.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$35.41 COP 110.5K

47.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.88 COP 15.2K

57.58%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$317 COP 989.4K

76.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$4,827 COP 15.1M

138.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$118 COP 367.3K

-46.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$47.53 COP 148.3K

-37.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$195 COP 608.5K

-49.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$263 COP 821.0K

-66.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$808 COP 2.5M

-8.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$513 COP 1.6M

-6.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$846 COP 2.6M

149.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$913 COP 2.9M

34.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,923 COP 6.0M

88.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$660 COP 2.1M

294.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$526 COP 1.6M

-6.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $808 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 7% higher in Barranquilla, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $65.0 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $258 in Barranquilla – so Barranquilla 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

Phuket vs Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 21% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,237 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 Phuket and $1,491 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $317 in Barranquilla. 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 Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Barranquilla at $1,491. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,491 in Barranquilla. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barranquilla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.