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

🙂 Solo nomad: Phuket is 9.4% cheaper than Cartago without rent, and 18.2% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 8.1% cheaper than Cartago without rent, and 21% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.59 ฿147
$8.09 ₡3,712
-43.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.83 ฿1,497
$31.71 ₡14.5K
47.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿278
$8.87 ₡4,066
-1.92%
Cappuccino
$2.92 ฿93.5
$3.79 ₡1,738
-22.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ฿21.86
$1.98 ₡908
-65.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿12.66
$1.29 ₡591
-68.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 ฿80.2
$2.00 ₡918
25.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 ฿122
$4.53 ₡2,079
-16.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ฿69.1
$2.04 ₡935
5.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 ฿60.1
$2.14 ₡979
-12.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 ฿69.0
$2.17 ₡997
-0.46%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿71.0
$2.93 ₡1,345
-24.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.57 ฿626
$8.00 ₡3,670
144.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.80 ฿122
$9.22 ₡4,231
-58.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.41 ฿429
$13.92 ₡6,387
-3.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 ฿104
$4.63 ₡2,126
-29.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.5
$1.22 ₡557
31.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 ฿73.8
$4.04 ₡1,855
-42.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 ฿65.8
$2.65 ₡1,215
-22.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.3
$1.97 ₡905
-18.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 ฿46.13
$1.94 ₡888
-25.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿32.91
$1.03 ₡471
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.34
$1.95 ₡895
-75.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 ฿144
$5.43 ₡2,489
-17.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.18 ฿613
$14.92 ₡6,842
28.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿58.3
$2.50 ₡1,146
-27.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 ฿86.0
$1.82 ₡835
47.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 ฿44.04
$1.02 ₡467
35.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿376
$70.0 ₡32.1K
-83.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿99.3
$1.40 ₡643
122.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 ฿32.09
$1.77 ₡814
-43.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.74 ฿439
$8.03 ₡3,685
71.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 ฿41.49
$1.39 ₡639
-6.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿874.5K
$38.0K ₡17.4M
-27.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K ฿1.1M
$32.8K ₡15.0M
0.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 ฿3,993
$47.57 ₡21.8K
162.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.74 ฿439
$25.60 ₡11.7K
-46.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61 ฿595
$57.5 ₡26.4K
-67.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.6 ฿1,936
$56.2 ₡25.8K
7.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15 ฿548
$23.98 ₡11.0K
-28.48%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01 ฿288
$6.54 ₡3,002
37.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 ฿22.3K
$494 ₡226.6K
41.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K ฿515.1K
$7,231 ₡3.3M
122.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 ฿1,893
$62.4 ₡28.6K
-5.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86 ฿1,115
$51.1 ₡23.5K
-31.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ฿3,651
$108 ₡49.7K
5.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,743
$79.8 ₡36.6K
7.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿19.8K
$759 ₡348.2K
-18.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 ฿14.0K
$591 ₡271.3K
-26.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 ฿66.3K
$735 ₡337.4K
182.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 ฿48.2K
$778 ₡357.0K
93.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,764 ฿120.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,694 ฿86.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Cartago
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$528 ฿16.9K
$1,295 ₡594.0K
-59.19%
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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Cartago: April 14, 2026

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

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