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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $876 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $1,341 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,805 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Phuket costs about 40% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Barranquilla 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$4.79 COP 16.4K

-5.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$31.12 COP 106.7K

49.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$7.10 COP 24.3K

19.58%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.71 COP 5,873

80.12%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.92 COP 3,157

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.60 COP 2,040

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.35 COP 4,628

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.93 COP 6,614

88.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.95 COP 3,242

130.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.33 COP 4,547

36.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.02 COP 3,513

118.63%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.11 COP 7,230

6.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$4.46 COP 15.3K

339.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$5.27 COP 18.0K

-29.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$7.36 COP 25.2K

83.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.84 COP 9,721

18.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.33 COP 4,565

21.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.56 COP 5,359

54.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.80 COP 2,735

148.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.95 COP 3,244

61.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.49 COP 5,096

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.87 COP 2,982

16.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.58 COP 1,988

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.72 COP 9,316

56.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$10.48 COP 35.9K

82.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$0.85 COP 2,915

116.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.27 COP 4,361

115.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.77 COP 2,641

84.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$32.82 COP 112.5K

-64.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.98 COP 6,802

51.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$2.99 COP 10.2K

-64.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$4.93 COP 16.9K

181.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.94 COP 3,230

37.23%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$15.2K COP 52.2M

84.20%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$22.4K COP 76.8M

49.54%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$139 COP 475.8K

-12.12%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$7.82 COP 26.8K

78.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$21.52 COP 73.8K

-12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$21.02 COP 72.0K

191.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$14.41 COP 49.4K

16.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$4.21 COP 14.4K

111.16%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$60.2 COP 206.2K

1049.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$1,832 COP 6.3M

782.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$62.7 COP 215.0K

-7.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$52.3 COP 179.1K

-32.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$81.0 COP 277.6K

39.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$71.7 COP 245.8K

15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$242 COP 829.4K

150.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$219 COP 752.2K

104.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$531 COP 1.8M

282.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$466 COP 1.6M

220.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,728 COP 5.9M

107.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$655 COP 2.2M

294.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$523 COP 1.8M

-3.45%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 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 4% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $173 – 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 40% 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $1,314 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 $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 $1,223 in Phuket and $876 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 $876, than in Phuket at $1,223. 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 $876 versus $1,223 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.