Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cartago

πŸ™‚ Solo nomad: Phuket is 22.5% cheaper than Cartago without rent, and 18.7% cheaper with rent.
πŸ™‚ Family of 3: Phuket is 11.6% cheaper than Cartago without rent, and 20.7% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.68 ΰΈΏ151
$8 β‚‘4,006
-41.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.4 ΰΈΏ1,502
$31.92 β‚‘16K
45.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 ΰΈΏ280
$9.07 β‚‘4,540
-4.63%
Cappuccino
$3.09 ΰΈΏ100
$3.85 β‚‘1,929
-19.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ΰΈΏ23.53
$2.04 β‚‘1,020
-64.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ΰΈΏ11.95
$1.22 β‚‘613
-69.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ΰΈΏ77.4
$2.04 β‚‘1,021
17.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ΰΈΏ117
$4.68 β‚‘2,345
-22.65%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ΰΈΏ72.5
$1.98 β‚‘989
13.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.8 ΰΈΏ58.2
$2.2 β‚‘1,103
-18.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ΰΈΏ72.3
$2.2 β‚‘1,103
1.82%
Eggs
$2.23 ΰΈΏ72.1
$2.87 β‚‘1,439
-22.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.31 ΰΈΏ625
$8.06 β‚‘4,037
139.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ΰΈΏ122
$8.9 β‚‘4,456
-57.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ΰΈΏ422
$13.87 β‚‘6,946
-5.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ΰΈΏ106
$4.4 β‚‘2,205
-25.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ΰΈΏ52.6
$1.17 β‚‘585
39.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.4 ΰΈΏ77.7
$3.93 β‚‘1,970
-38.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ΰΈΏ64.3
$2.7 β‚‘1,352
-26.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ΰΈΏ49.62
$1.98 β‚‘989
-22.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ΰΈΏ48.11
$1.93 β‚‘968
-22.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ΰΈΏ32.87
$0.97 β‚‘486
5.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ΰΈΏ15.61
$2.03 β‚‘1,017
-76.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ΰΈΏ140
$5.37 β‚‘2,688
-19.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.68 ΰΈΏ702
$13.79 β‚‘6,901
57.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ΰΈΏ57.3
$2.4 β‚‘1,203
-26.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ΰΈΏ90.4
$1.75 β‚‘878
59.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ΰΈΏ43.74
$1.06 β‚‘531
27.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ΰΈΏ380
$69 β‚‘34.5K
-82.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ΰΈΏ102
$1.35 β‚‘677
133.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1 ΰΈΏ32.3
$1.77 β‚‘886
-43.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 ΰΈΏ442
$7.7 β‚‘3,855
77.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.3 ΰΈΏ42.2
$1.39 β‚‘695
-6.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ΰΈΏ885.2K
$37.2K β‚‘18.6M
-26.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ΰΈΏ1.1M
$33.1K β‚‘16.6M
2.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ΰΈΏ3,970
$48.99 β‚‘24.5K
150.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ΰΈΏ451
$25.87 β‚‘12.9K
-46.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 ΰΈΏ590
$56.3 β‚‘28.2K
-67.59%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 ΰΈΏ1,966
$57.7 β‚‘28.9K
5.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.11 ΰΈΏ554
$24.16 β‚‘12.1K
-29.18%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ΰΈΏ294
$6.38 β‚‘3,192
42.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$694 ΰΈΏ22.5K
$490 β‚‘245.4K
41.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ΰΈΏ514.4K
$7,079 β‚‘3.5M
124.55%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 ΰΈΏ1,861
$61.7 β‚‘30.9K
-6.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.51 ΰΈΏ1,117
$52.2 β‚‘26.1K
-33.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ΰΈΏ3,727
$108 β‚‘54K
6.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ΰΈΏ2,743
$79.5 β‚‘39.8K
6.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 ΰΈΏ19.8K
$776 β‚‘388.3K
-21.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 ΰΈΏ14.3K
$606 β‚‘303.4K
-27.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 ΰΈΏ65.2K
$734 β‚‘367.6K
174.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ΰΈΏ47.2K
$753 β‚‘377.1K
93.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,244 ΰΈΏ137.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,886 ΰΈΏ93.4K
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 ΰΈΏ22.5K
$1,613 β‚‘807.4K
-56.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
10
-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

Last update for Cartago: October 27, 2025

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