Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cucuta Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cucuta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $703 in Cucuta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,114 in Cucuta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,524 in Cucuta.

Living in Phuket is roughly 80% more expensive than Cucuta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Cucuta 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.69 COP 13.2K

27.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$23.71 COP 84.7K

91.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.47 COP 26.7K

12.85%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$0.99 COP 3,526

195.96%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.89 COP 3,173

-22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.34 COP 1,230

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.15 COP 4,110

109.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.22 COP 7,913

67.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.86 COP 3,085

159.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.92 COP 3,301

98.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.94 COP 3,368

130.85%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.21 COP 7,899

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.30 COP 18.9K

272.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.26 COP 18.8K

-30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.33 COP 26.2K

84.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.42 COP 8,652

35.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.75 COP 2,672

114.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.75 COP 2,692

221.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.63 COP 2,254

230.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.75 COP 2,686

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.59 COP 2,093

150.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.63 COP 2,238

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.72 COP 2,566

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.39 COP 8,530

84.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.81 COP 38.6K

79.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.09 COP 3,900

63.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.79 COP 6,398

51.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.70 COP 2,483

95.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$29.51 COP 105.4K

-61.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.43 COP 5,103

111.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.51 COP 5,390

-34.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.09 COP 18.2K

177.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.99 COP 3,522

37.37%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.2K COP 65.0M

55.05%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.9K COP 92.4M

27.13%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$86.4 COP 308.5K

40.87%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.04 COP 32.3K

50.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$19.60 COP 70.0K

-6.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$23.64 COP 84.4K

154.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$8.79 COP 31.4K

94.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.87 COP 13.8K

124.55%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$331 COP 1.2M

109.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,202 COP 15.0M

273.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.2 COP 211.5K

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$33.31 COP 118.9K

4.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$81.8 COP 292.0K

40.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$71.7 COP 256.0K

16.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$252 COP 900.5K

143.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$171 COP 610.6K

155.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$586 COP 2.1M

257.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$357 COP 1.3M

323.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,554 COP 5.5M

141.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,144 COP 4.1M

128.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$454 COP 1.6M

11.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.18

-59.56%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cucuta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $252 in Cucuta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Cucuta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $163 per month, with Cucuta cheaper across the board.

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 Cucuta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cucuta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 12% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $252 in Cucuta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cucuta – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Cucuta versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cucuta but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cucuta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cucuta is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cucuta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cucuta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.