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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,277 per month in Phuket vs $1,270 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Phuket vs $2,128 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Phuket vs $2,987 in Cartagena, rent included.

Phuket costs about 1% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 ฿153

$5.12 COP 16.1K

-9.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.40 ฿1,137

$136 COP 428.1K

-74.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 ฿283

$10.20 COP 32.0K

-16.08%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿98.3

$3.63 COP 11.4K

-18.18%

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

$0.82 ฿27.08

$1.86 COP 5,837

-55.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ฿14.53

$1.85 COP 5,790

-76.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 ฿81.2

$1.94 COP 6,080

26.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿125

$4.86 COP 15.2K

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿61.6

$1.93 COP 6,070

-3.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.60

$2.84 COP 8,897

-48.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿51.5

$1.45 COP 4,547

7.59%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿72.6

$5.01 COP 15.7K

-56.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿648

$13.70 COP 43.0K

42.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ฿116

$17.87 COP 56.1K

-80.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ฿371

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿97.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿70.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.33

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.86

$2.04 COP 6,411

-72.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 ฿148

Wine (Bottle)

$18.89 ฿625

$14.72 COP 46.2K

28.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 ฿62.2

$1.48 COP 4,645

27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 ฿77.2

$1.24 COP 3,893

87.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.38 ฿773

$59.2 COP 185.6K

-60.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿97.3

$4.70 COP 14.7K

-37.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.13

$3.73 COP 11.7K

-72.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 ฿125

$9.46 COP 29.7K

-60.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿47.92

$1.31 COP 4,097

10.69%

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

$26.8K ฿887.7K

$24.0K COP 75.3M

11.82%

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

$27.4K ฿905.2K

$34.3K COP 107.7M

-20.25%

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

$105 ฿3,474

$80.6 COP 253.0K

30.32%

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

$11.01 ฿364

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.81 ฿589

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 ฿1,774

$93.9 COP 294.7K

-42.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.23 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 ฿258

$8.35 COP 26.2K

-6.59%

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

$565 ฿18.7K

$630 COP 2.0M

-10.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿379.4K

$5,794 COP 18.2M

97.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 ฿2,088

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.09 ฿962

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 ฿3,282

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ฿3,015

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.4K

$1,050 COP 3.3M

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.5K

$587 COP 1.8M

-14.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 ฿69.2K

$2,274 COP 7.1M

-7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 ฿41.3K

$941 COP 3.0M

32.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,530 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,542 ฿84.0K

$968 COP 3.0M

162.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 ฿16.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

7.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-62.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 9, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: August 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,050 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 8% 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 $34.00 in Phuket versus $136 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $265 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 1% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,915 per month in Phuket and $1,905 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 $565 per month in Phuket and $630 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $1,270, than in Phuket at $1,277. 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 $1,270 versus $1,277 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.