Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bucaramanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucaramanga: $1,245 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Bucaramanga
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Bucaramanga Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Bucaramanga

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,245

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Bucaramanga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Bucaramanga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $1,245 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Bucaramanga $1,245

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,875 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Bucaramanga $1,875

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $2,505 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Bucaramanga $2,505

Phuket costs about 3% more than Bucaramanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Phuket and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Bucaramanga 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$5.62 COP 18.1K

-20.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$31.93 COP 103.1K

1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$9.45 COP 30.5K

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.16 COP 6,961

31.02%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$1.43 COP 4,627

-39.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$1.09 COP 3,513

-55.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$1.73 COP 5,571

47.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$2.51 COP 8,103

46.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.50 COP 4,845

10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$1.41 COP 4,547

3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$3.19 COP 10.3K

-52.98%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$3.10 COP 9,998

-32.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$8.10 COP 26.2K

135.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$14.29 COP 46.1K

-76.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$17.46 COP 56.4K

-37.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$3.56 COP 11.5K

-17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.35 COP 4,363

25.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.04 COP 6,583

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$2.76 COP 8,899

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.41 COP 4,551

7.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.76 COP 5,672

-21.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$0.97 COP 3,143

10.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$0.98 COP 3,160

-46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$3.72 COP 12.0K

12.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$12.35 COP 39.9K

52.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.41 COP 4,550

29.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.57 COP 5,059

80.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$0.95 COP 3,068

52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$66.4 COP 214.5K

-14.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$2.71 COP 8,756

11.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$1.90 COP 6,143

-46.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$8.04 COP 25.9K

-54.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$1.34 COP 4,340

9.70%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$34.7K COP 112.0M

-22.83%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$34.4K COP 111.2M

-22.52%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$175 COP 565.0K

-44.94%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$10.36 COP 33.5K

8.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$26.28 COP 84.9K

-35.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$38.84 COP 125.4K

73.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$30.97 COP 100.0K

-65.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$8.85 COP 28.6K

-15.25%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$51.5 COP 166.4K

21.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$56.2 COP 181.5K

-49.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$118 COP 382.3K

-20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$92.5 COP 298.8K

-7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$425 COP 1.4M

68.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$320 COP 1.0M

53.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$984 COP 3.2M

95.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$536 COP 1.7M

167.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$2,216 COP 7.2M

88.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,769 COP 5.7M

72.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$586 COP 1.9M

-14.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.4

-55.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Bucaramanga

$320 25.7% 34.8% $171

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Bucaramanga

$308 24.8% 15.9% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Bucaramanga

$212 17% 70% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Bucaramanga

$143 11.5% 17.6% $22

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Bucaramanga

$123 9.9% 1% $1.2

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Bucaramanga

$57 4.5% 31.2% $26

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Bucaramanga

$82 6.6% 16.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $425 in Bucaramanga. 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 17% higher in Bucaramanga, 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 $32 in Phuket versus $32 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $308 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇨🇴 Bucaramanga

🕒 Local time

07:58 7:58 AM

19:58 7:58 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

581,130

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Bucaramanga 18,100 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Bucaramanga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bucaramanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 3% more than Bucaramanga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,868 in Bucaramanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucaramanga, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $425 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $1,245 in Bucaramanga. That makes Bucaramanga about 3% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,278 in Phuket and $1,245 in Bucaramanga. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $1,245 versus $1,278 in Phuket. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.