😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $793 in Florencia.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,211 in Florencia.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,629 in Florencia.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 54% more expensive than in Florencia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Florencia40% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿148
$3.93COP 13.5K
14.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,528
$23.34COP 80.2K
99.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿278
$7.47COP 25.7K
13.65%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿101
$1.49COP 5,115
106.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.26
$0.86COP 2,960
-20.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.84
$0.62COP 2,129
-41.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿79.5
$1.21COP 4,149
100.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿119
$2.24COP 7,716
62.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.7
$1.07COP 3,664
104.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.5
$1.24COP 4,247
45.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿73.1
$1.13COP 3,870
97.35%
Eggs
$2.24฿73.3
$2.20COP 7,565
1.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿642
$4.47COP 15.4K
338.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿122
$5.15COP 17.7K
-27.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿441
$7.26COP 25.0K
85.54%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿110
$2.54COP 8,727
32.28%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$1.07COP 3,688
51.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.30COP 4,482
85.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿65.2
$0.93COP 3,200
113.98%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.17COP 4,010
30.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.59
$1.13COP 3,890
28.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿33.23
$0.82COP 2,806
23.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.86
$0.69COP 2,361
-30.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿140
$2.31COP 7,937
84.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿627
$11.06COP 38.0K
72.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿60.2
$1.12COP 3,855
64.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.8
$1.70COP 5,842
61.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.44
$0.69COP 2,371
105.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿384
$29.59COP 101.7K
-60.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿98.4
$1.43COP 4,920
109.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.28
$1.67COP 5,743
-37.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿456
$6.08COP 20.9K
128.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿42.28
$0.92COP 3,169
40.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿918.7K
$18.0KCOP 61.9M
55.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$25.9KCOP 89.0M
29.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,997
$83.1COP 285.8K
46.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿457
$9.06COP 31.1K
53.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿618
$23.01COP 79.1K
-17.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿2,008
$23.04COP 79.2K
165.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿552
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿291
$3.83COP 13.2K
132.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.7K
$240COP 823.9K
188.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿529.5K
$5,953COP 20.5M
171.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,894
$59.8COP 205.7K
-3.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,160
$32.53COP 111.8K
8.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,716
$83.1COP 285.6K
36.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,720
$73.9COP 254.1K
12.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.9K
$281COP 965.7K
115.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.7K
$241COP 828.4K
85.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.5K
$533COP 1.8M
280.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.9K
$431COP 1.5M
246.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿117.5K
$1,718COP 5.9M
108.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.7K
$1,215COP 4.2M
112.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Florencia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿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: June 13, 2026
Last update for Florencia: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $281 in Florencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Florencia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $175 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $793 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 $1,835 in Phuket and $1,190 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: $607 in Phuket versus $281 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 $691 in Phuket versus $240 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 67% 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 $793 in Florencia versus $1,223 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 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.