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

🙂 Solo nomad: Phuket is 31% cheaper than Cartago without rent, and 16.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 8.1% cheaper than Cartago without rent, and 19.6% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 ฿147

$8.12 ₡3,816

-42.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.11 ฿1,460

$32.23 ₡15.2K

43.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 ฿277

$9.11 ₡4,285

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ฿96.2

$3.82 ₡1,795

-20.42%

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

$0.72 ฿22.80

$2.03 ₡956

-64.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.38

$1.24 ₡581

-68.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿77.2

$2.00 ₡941

22.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿120

$4.59 ₡2,157

-17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ฿67.9

$2.06 ₡969

3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ฿58.9

$2.15 ₡1,011

-13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿69.2

$2.25 ₡1,060

-2.67%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿71.1

$2.94 ₡1,383

-23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 ฿625

$8.15 ₡3,831

142.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ฿120

$8.98 ₡4,222

-57.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 ฿429

$13.47 ₡6,336

0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 ฿103

$4.42 ₡2,079

-26.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ฿52.9

$1.21 ₡569

38.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿75.7

$4.08 ₡1,920

-41.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ฿66.2

$2.61 ₡1,228

-19.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿48.39

$1.94 ₡911

-21.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿47.79

$1.95 ₡917

-22.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿31.30

$0.96 ₡451

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.30

$2.03 ₡953

-74.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿135

$5.41 ₡2,544

-21.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 ฿643

$14.90 ₡7,006

36.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿56.7

$2.48 ₡1,167

-27.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿87.6

$1.80 ₡848

53.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿44.44

$1.05 ₡494

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿370

$69.6 ₡32.7K

-83.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿98.4

$1.37 ₡646

127.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿31.48

$1.80 ₡845

-45.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.73 ฿435

$8.06 ₡3,792

70.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ฿41.75

$1.47 ₡691

-10.20%

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

$27.2K ฿862.0K

$38.2K ₡18.0M

-28.67%

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

$34.1K ฿1.1M

$32.4K ₡15.2M

5.44%

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

$120 ฿3,811

$49.17 ₡23.1K

144.86%

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

$13.93 ฿441

$26.22 ₡12.3K

-46.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿579

$57.7 ₡27.1K

-68.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 ฿1,928

$56.9 ₡26.8K

7.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 ฿545

$24.07 ₡11.3K

-28.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.71 ฿276

$6.58 ₡3,094

32.37%

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

$698 ฿22.1K

$488 ₡229.4K

43.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿498.0K

$7,079 ₡3.3M

122.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,824

$61.9 ₡29.1K

-6.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.24 ฿1,084

$52.1 ₡24.5K

-34.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,582

$108 ₡50.9K

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ฿2,684

$78.6 ₡36.9K

7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 ฿19.1K

$763 ₡358.8K

-20.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ฿13.8K

$589 ₡277.2K

-26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 ฿65.1K

$728 ₡342.4K

182.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 ฿47.4K

$776 ₡364.7K

93.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,252 ฿134.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,988 ฿94.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$529 ฿16.7K

$1,269 ₡596.9K

-58.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: February 28, 2026

Last update for Cartago: March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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