Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ibague Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ibague

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $612 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $914 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,215 in Ibague.

Living in Phuket is roughly 107% more expensive than Ibague, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ibague 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.80 COP 17.1K

-2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$21.81 COP 77.6K

108.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.07 COP 18.0K

66.27%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$0.99 COP 3,512

195.96%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.96 COP 3,415

-28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.65 COP 2,327

-43.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.77 COP 2,722

212.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.13 COP 7,578

74.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.14 COP 4,041

95.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.75 COP 2,658

144.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.75 COP 2,677

189.33%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.93 COP 6,874

14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.88 COP 17.4K

304.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.66 COP 13.0K

-0.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.93 COP 17.5K

174.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.99 COP 10.6K

9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.46 COP 1,624

250.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.74 COP 2,639

225.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.46 COP 1,631

352.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.47 COP 1,659

225.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.35 COP 1,244

322.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.50 COP 1,782

98.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.43 COP 1,547

18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.90 COP 10.3K

52.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$9.36 COP 33.3K

107.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.47 COP 1,666

278.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$0.63 COP 2,252

330.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.72 COP 2,557

90.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.42 COP 5,050

112.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.50 COP 5,324

-34.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.39 COP 8,508

489.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.94 COP 3,332

44.68%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$15.7K COP 55.7M

80.07%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.2K COP 89.8M

30.31%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$47.84 COP 170.2K

154.39%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$6.14 COP 21.8K

121.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$21.90 COP 77.9K

-16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$42.85 COP 152.5K

40.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.85 COP 13.7K

125.71%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$59.6 COP 212.1K

1063.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,440 COP 8.7M

543.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.1 COP 210.3K

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$41.35 COP 147.1K

-15.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$84.0 COP 299.0K

36.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$61.0 COP 217.2K

36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$232 COP 823.9K

164.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$146 COP 518.9K

199.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$392 COP 1.4M

433.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$214 COP 761.4K

605.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,250 COP 4.4M

199.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$880 COP 3.1M

197.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$473 COP 1.7M

7.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.93

-58.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ibague: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $232 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 7% 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 $22.00 in Ibague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $132 per month, with Ibague 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 Ibague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 7% 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 $232 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $612 in Ibague – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $612 in Ibague versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibague 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 Ibague 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 Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.