Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,062 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,608 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,153 in Cartagena, rent included.

Phuket costs about 16% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Cartagena 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.17 COP 22.3K

-24.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$47.58 COP 171.8K

-1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$9.85 COP 35.5K

-10.25%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.65 COP 5,948

81.82%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.81 COP 2,914

-8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.67 COP 2,407

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.30 COP 4,682

87.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.95 COP 10.6K

22.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.14 COP 4,124

98.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.86 COP 6,715

-1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.33 COP 4,784

68.42%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.11 COP 7,605

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.07 COP 25.5K

178.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.91 COP 21.3K

-38.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.13 COP 29.4K

61.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.20 COP 11.6K

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.96 COP 7,059

-16.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.50 COP 5,424

60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.58 COP 5,689

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.55 COP 5,588

0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.08 COP 3,892

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.00 COP 3,619

2.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.59 COP 2,144

-16.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.36 COP 8,503

88.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$18.52 COP 66.8K

1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.93 COP 3,367

91.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.03 COP 3,709

166.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.05 COP 3,805

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$28.08 COP 101.4K

-59.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.38 COP 8,602

31.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.37 COP 8,556

-57.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.93 COP 17.8K

185.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.03 COP 3,709

31.07%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.9K COP 75.4M

30.23%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.6K COP 85.3M

39.35%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$142 COP 514.1K

-12.24%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.96 COP 39.6K

23.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$25.17 COP 90.9K

-26.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$35.27 COP 127.3K

74.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$8.84 COP 31.9K

90.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.94 COP 10.6K

212.59%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$142 COP 512.4K

391.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$5,910 COP 21.3M

163.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$48.13 COP 173.8K

20.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$39.46 COP 142.5K

-10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$123 COP 445.3K

-8.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$115 COP 413.6K

-24.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$741 COP 2.7M

-16.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$330 COP 1.2M

35.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,308 COP 4.7M

56.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$479 COP 1.7M

211.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$3,077 COP 11.1M

22.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,977 COP 7.1M

34.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$420 COP 1.5M

24.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-64.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $741 in Cartagena. 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 25% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $48.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $222 in Cartagena – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 16% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,593 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $142 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,062, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,062 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cartagena. 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.