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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $803 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,225 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,648 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Phuket costs about 57% more than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Buenaventura 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.98 COP 13.9K

14.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$23.67 COP 82.6K

97.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.47 COP 26.1K

13.39%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.50 COP 5,235

102.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.86 COP 3,001

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.62 COP 2,154

-40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.21 COP 4,220

105.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.24 COP 7,808

63.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.07 COP 3,732

103.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.25 COP 4,355

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.14 COP 3,995

92.98%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.16 COP 7,529

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.33 COP 15.1K

361.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.27 COP 18.4K

-30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.55 COP 26.3K

75.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.51 COP 8,743

28.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.11 COP 3,863

53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.30 COP 4,526

83.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.87 COP 3,025

139.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.13 COP 3,943

40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.12 COP 3,914

32.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.88 COP 3,063

17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.70 COP 2,444

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.30 COP 8,020

84.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$10.24 COP 35.7K

83.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.14 COP 3,968

54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.71 COP 5,971

61.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.73 COP 2,553

86.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$30.19 COP 105.4K

-62.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.42 COP 4,972

121.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.72 COP 5,990

-39.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.97 COP 20.8K

130.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.00 COP 3,507

34.00%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$17.7K COP 61.7M

56.64%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$25.6K COP 89.4M

32.24%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$83.1 COP 289.9K

48.80%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$8.91 COP 31.1K

51.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$22.83 COP 79.7K

-18.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$23.22 COP 81.0K

166.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.01 COP 14.0K

127.93%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$235 COP 818.5K

199.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,923 COP 20.7M

167.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$58.6 COP 204.4K

1.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$32.76 COP 114.3K

7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$84.2 COP 293.7K

36.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$73.4 COP 256.2K

14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$282 COP 982.8K

119.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$238 COP 832.1K

81.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$520 COP 1.8M

296.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$425 COP 1.5M

255.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,606 COP 5.6M

127.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,236 COP 4.3M

112.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$553 COP 1.9M

-8.39%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $282 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 9% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $174 – 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: $1,261 in Phuket, $803 in Buenaventura – roughly 57% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,204 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 68% 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $24.00 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 $803, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $803 in Buenaventura to $1,261 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.