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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $604 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $912 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,221 in Ibague.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ibague 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.95 COP 16.1K

-8.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$22.16 COP 72.1K

108.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.85 COP 15.8K

82.27%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.00 COP 3,268

206.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.93 COP 3,032

-21.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.64 COP 2,092

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$0.71 COP 2,303

242.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.22 COP 7,218

70.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.18 COP 3,829

91.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.71 COP 2,314

154.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.75 COP 2,451

200.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.96 COP 6,365

14.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.78 COP 15.5K

308.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.52 COP 11.5K

3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.70 COP 15.3K

177.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.85 COP 9,262

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.46 COP 1,513

252.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.75 COP 2,457

217.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.49 COP 1,607

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.50 COP 1,635

206.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.37 COP 1,210

305.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.50 COP 1,637

96.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.43 COP 1,401

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.86 COP 9,312

55.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$10.56 COP 34.4K

73.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.50 COP 1,637

272.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$0.64 COP 2,079

318.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.72 COP 2,356

95.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.46 COP 4,768

113.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.54 COP 4,999

-32.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.39 COP 7,785

490.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.99 COP 3,235

32.32%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$15.8K COP 51.6M

75.60%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.5K COP 83.1M

30.06%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$46.53 COP 151.5K

163.14%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$6.08 COP 19.8K

123.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$21.74 COP 70.8K

-13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$44.33 COP 144.3K

36.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.93 COP 12.8K

130.79%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$60.5 COP 196.9K

1067.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,429 COP 7.9M

550.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$59.9 COP 194.8K

-2.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$42.30 COP 137.7K

-16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$85.7 COP 279.1K

34.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$59.7 COP 194.5K

40.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$227 COP 739.2K

175.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$144 COP 468.7K

209.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$398 COP 1.3M

412.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$210 COP 684.6K

609.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,419 COP 4.6M

145.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$974 COP 3.2M

164.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$530 COP 1.7M

-5.70%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ibague: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $227 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibague pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Ibague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $133 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.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Ibague. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $227 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $604 in Ibague – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $604 in Ibague versus $1,250 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.