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 $808 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,232 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,655 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Phuket costs about 52% more than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Buenaventura 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.97 COP 14.3K

16.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$23.95 COP 86.4K

95.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.06 COP 25.5K

25.21%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.50 COP 5,414

100.00%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.88 COP 3,171

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.61 COP 2,195

-39.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.15 COP 4,163

112.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.20 COP 7,928

64.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.06 COP 3,818

113.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.24 COP 4,485

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.17 COP 4,235

91.45%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.13 COP 7,688

8.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.42 COP 16.0K

345.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.16 COP 18.6K

-29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.32 COP 26.4K

78.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.56 COP 9,256

32.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.06 COP 3,840

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.30 COP 4,706

85.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.88 COP 3,175

130.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.11 COP 3,993

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.16 COP 4,204

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.80 COP 2,884

27.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.66 COP 2,380

-25.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.31 COP 8,325

92.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$12.07 COP 43.6K

56.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.12 COP 4,055

58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.71 COP 6,191

60.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.71 COP 2,565

97.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$30.52 COP 110.2K

-62.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.42 COP 5,133

119.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.73 COP 6,259

-42.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$5.92 COP 21.4K

138.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.94 COP 3,402

43.62%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

50.46%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.2K COP 90.9M

30.82%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$81.1 COP 292.8K

54.09%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.06 COP 32.7K

49.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$22.56 COP 81.4K

-17.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$23.16 COP 83.6K

165.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.02 COP 14.5K

128.61%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$236 COP 851.9K

195.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$5,845 COP 21.1M

166.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$59.3 COP 213.9K

-2.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$32.49 COP 117.3K

8.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$84.5 COP 305.1K

33.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$72.5 COP 261.8K

19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$283 COP 1.0M

117.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$234 COP 844.2K

90.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$522 COP 1.9M

292.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$422 COP 1.5M

253.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,648 COP 5.9M

129.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,386 COP 5.0M

91.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$555 COP 2.0M

-5.70%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $283 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 6% 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: $292 vs $176 – 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $808 in Buenaventura – roughly 52% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,213 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 66% 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 $808, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $808 in Buenaventura to $1,232 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.