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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,307 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,084 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,861 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Phuket is about 6% cheaper than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Buenaventura 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$6.63 COP 20.7K

-33.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$44.33 COP 138.3K

-27.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.27 COP 32.0K

-13.05%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.71 COP 8,444

7.01%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.40 COP 4,367

-37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.01 COP 3,160

-52.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.96 COP 9,250

-20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.38 COP 10.5K

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.52 COP 4,747

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.71 COP 8,445

-45.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.52 COP 4,734

1.97%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.21 COP 10.0K

-34.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$8.90 COP 27.8K

120.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.28 COP 29.0K

-63.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$11.72 COP 36.6K

-2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.84 COP 12.0K

-22.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.35 COP 4,219

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.74 COP 5,433

27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.01 COP 6,274

7.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.53 COP 4,788

-0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.65 COP 5,142

-18.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.12 COP 3,481

0.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.19 COP 3,714

-53.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.77 COP 14.9K

-10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$14.38 COP 44.9K

32.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.49 COP 4,649

19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.73 COP 8,516

1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.09 COP 3,393

104.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.37 COP 4,273

121.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.88 COP 5,876

-45.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.36 COP 29.2K

-58.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.54 COP 4,807

-3.25%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$29.3K COP 91.6M

-9.40%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$37.9K COP 118.3M

-28.73%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$125 COP 390.7K

-18.17%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$14.31 COP 44.6K

-20.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$30.98 COP 96.7K

-43.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$34.48 COP 107.6K

51.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.18 COP 19.3K

24.43%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$549 COP 1.7M

2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$6,589 COP 20.6M

74.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$97.6 COP 304.6K

-35.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$54.9 COP 171.4K

-46.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$132 COP 412.2K

-25.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$113 COP 351.5K

-21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$781 COP 2.4M

-5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$530 COP 1.7M

-8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,164 COP 3.6M

80.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$880 COP 2.7M

39.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,227 COP 7.0M

62.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,478 COP 4.6M

76.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.58

-51.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $781 in Buenaventura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $44.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $282 – making Phuket 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,307 in Buenaventura – roughly 6% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,961 in Buenaventura. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $44.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Buenaventura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Buenaventura at $1,307. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenaventura 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $1,307 in Buenaventura. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buenaventura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.