😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $802 in Florencia.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,224 in Florencia.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,646 in Florencia.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 58% more expensive than in Florencia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket5% lower, Florencia40% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$3.95COP 12.4K
13.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$23.44COP 73.8K
94.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$7.17COP 22.6K
22.18%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$1.55COP 4,885
91.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$0.89COP 2,797
-22.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$0.60COP 1,891
-35.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$1.15COP 3,635
120.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$2.21COP 6,950
69.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$1.07COP 3,361
100.93%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$1.24COP 3,890
46.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$1.18COP 3,717
84.75%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$2.24COP 7,039
0.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$4.38COP 13.8K
356.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$5.30COP 16.7K
-31.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$7.46COP 23.5K
81.77%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$2.43COP 7,655
33.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.11COP 3,484
47.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$1.35COP 4,250
72.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$0.93COP 2,926
122.58%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$1.16COP 3,645
33.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$1.18COP 3,723
23.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$0.82COP 2,572
19.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$0.69COP 2,183
-30.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$2.30COP 7,238
89.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$12.56COP 39.6K
47.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$1.12COP 3,541
66.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$1.74COP 5,463
52.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$0.68COP 2,156
108.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
$29.79COP 93.8K
-61.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$1.48COP 4,661
114.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$1.66COP 5,241
-37.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$6.15COP 19.4K
125.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$0.94COP 2,954
42.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$18.2KCOP 57.4M
52.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$25.5KCOP 80.2M
31.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$82.4COP 259.3K
49.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$9.27COP 29.2K
48.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$22.50COP 70.8K
-18.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$23.62COP 74.4K
156.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$3.89COP 12.3K
128.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$236COP 743.1K
191.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$5,995COP 18.9M
163.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$58.9COP 185.3K
0.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$33.31COP 104.9K
4.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$82.3COP 259.2K
39.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$71.5COP 225.0K
17.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$284COP 893.3K
118.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$242COP 761.8K
84.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$530COP 1.7M
283.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$428COP 1.3M
249.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$1,988COP 6.3M
73.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$1,592COP 5.0M
59.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Florencia: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $284 in Florencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Florencia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $179 per month, with Florencia 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 Florencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Florencia?
Phuket and Florencia differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $802 including rent). Florencia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Florencia?
You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,203 in Florencia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Florencia?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $284 in Florencia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Florencia?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $236 in Florencia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $802 in Florencia versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Florencia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Florencia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Florencia?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Florencia safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Florencia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Florencia?
Expats usually find Florencia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.