Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buenaventura Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Buenaventura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $802 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,222 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,642 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Phuket costs about 58% more than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Buenaventura 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.95 COP 12.4K

13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$23.26 COP 73.2K

96.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.36 COP 23.2K

19.02%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.55 COP 4,865

91.61%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.94 COP 2,958

-26.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.56 COP 1,779

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.21 COP 3,815

109.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.21 COP 6,962

69.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.05 COP 3,311

104.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.29 COP 4,068

41.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.19 COP 3,737

83.19%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.20 COP 6,940

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.57 COP 14.4K

337.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.22 COP 16.4K

-30.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.40 COP 23.3K

83.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.55 COP 8,021

27.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.11 COP 3,499

47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.29 COP 4,070

80.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.92 COP 2,889

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.16 COP 3,668

33.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.13 COP 3,553

29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.80 COP 2,520

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.65 COP 2,061

-26.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.39 COP 7,529

82.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$13.47 COP 42.4K

37.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.13 COP 3,572

64.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.74 COP 5,472

52.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.72 COP 2,276

97.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$29.78 COP 93.7K

-61.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.41 COP 4,450

124.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.71 COP 5,393

-39.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.88 COP 18.5K

136.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.94 COP 2,957

42.55%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$17.8K COP 56.0M

56.11%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$26.1K COP 82.1M

28.06%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$83.5 COP 262.9K

47.38%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$9.22 COP 29.0K

49.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$22.85 COP 71.9K

-19.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$23.28 COP 73.3K

160.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.05 COP 12.7K

119.01%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$239 COP 753.6K

187.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,936 COP 18.7M

165.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$58.5 COP 184.0K

1.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$32.81 COP 103.3K

5.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$84.5 COP 266.1K

36.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$71.6 COP 225.3K

17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$279 COP 878.1K

122.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$239 COP 751.9K

86.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$526 COP 1.7M

286.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$433 COP 1.4M

245.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,817 COP 5.7M

90.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,410 COP 4.4M

79.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$626 COP 2.0M

-21.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.18

-59.56%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $279 in Buenaventura. 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 27% higher in Buenaventura, 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 $23.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $181 – making Buenaventura 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 Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $802 in Buenaventura – roughly 58% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,203 in Buenaventura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 61% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $23.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenaventura, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Buenaventura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $802 in Buenaventura to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Buenaventura. 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.