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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $1,070 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,619 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,168 in Cartagena, rent included.

Phuket costs about 18% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Cartagena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.89 COP 20.5K

-22.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$46.71 COP 163.0K

-0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$9.43 COP 32.9K

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.62 COP 5,658

87.04%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.82 COP 2,855

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.66 COP 2,309

-43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.25 COP 4,347

99.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.88 COP 10.1K

27.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.15 COP 4,020

89.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.92 COP 6,695

-1.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.38 COP 4,818

59.42%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.10 COP 7,317

5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$6.73 COP 23.5K

197.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.13 COP 21.4K

-40.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.82 COP 27.3K

69.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.22 COP 11.2K

0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.93 COP 6,729

-11.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.44 COP 5,011

65.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.65 COP 5,757

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.54 COP 5,378

3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.06 COP 3,716

39.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.00 COP 3,489

3.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.64 COP 2,224

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.28 COP 7,973

86.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$18.45 COP 64.4K

1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.94 COP 3,272

87.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$0.97 COP 3,392

184.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$1.03 COP 3,583

32.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$28.09 COP 98.0K

-59.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.46 COP 8,570

27.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.44 COP 8,521

-57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.73 COP 16.5K

191.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.02 COP 3,552

31.37%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$21.4K COP 74.8M

29.18%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$23.6K COP 82.3M

43.58%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$139 COP 486.8K

-11.39%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.98 COP 38.3K

23.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$25.01 COP 87.3K

-25.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$34.52 COP 120.5K

79.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$8.50 COP 29.7K

102.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$2.85 COP 9,936

220.70%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$139 COP 485.5K

405.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,857 COP 20.4M

170.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$47.52 COP 165.9K

25.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$38.12 COP 133.0K

-8.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$126 COP 440.8K

-8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$114 COP 396.4K

-26.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$725 COP 2.5M

-14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$334 COP 1.2M

29.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,271 COP 4.4M

62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$466 COP 1.6M

224.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$3,075 COP 10.7M

18.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$842 COP 2.9M

211.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$410 COP 1.4M

23.62%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $725 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 24% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $223 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 18% 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,605 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 $703 per month in Phuket and $139 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $1,070, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $1,070 versus $1,261 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.