Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manizales Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Manizales

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $732 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,078 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,424 in Manizales, rent included.

Phuket costs about 68% more than Manizales, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Manizales are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Manizales 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.58 COP 12.9K

29.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$17.06 COP 61.6K

174.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.65 COP 27.6K

15.56%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.31 COP 4,721

129.01%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.80 COP 2,874

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.56 COP 2,032

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.12 COP 4,050

117.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.15 COP 7,746

67.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.03 COP 3,724

119.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.40 COP 5,043

31.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.12 COP 4,049

100.00%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.98 COP 7,133

17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.70 COP 17.0K

318.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.07 COP 18.3K

-28.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.51 COP 27.1K

74.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.06 COP 11.1K

10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.00 COP 3,593

64.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.34 COP 4,843

79.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.30 COP 4,680

56.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.08 COP 3,916

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.16 COP 4,195

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.78 COP 2,818

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.84 COP 3,023

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.39 COP 8,617

86.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.57 COP 34.5K

97.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.12 COP 4,041

58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.86 COP 6,715

47.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.70 COP 2,528

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$27.14 COP 98.0K

-57.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.23 COP 4,440

153.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.28 COP 4,615

-21.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$5.97 COP 21.6K

136.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.99 COP 3,592

36.36%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$15.5K COP 56.1M

74.97%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.9K COP 90.0M

32.04%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$59.1 COP 213.4K

111.44%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.04 COP 32.6K

50.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$25.89 COP 93.5K

-28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$27.49 COP 99.2K

123.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$19.26 COP 69.5K

-12.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$3.36 COP 12.1K

173.51%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$246 COP 888.2K

183.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,614 COP 31.1M

81.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$38.47 COP 138.9K

50.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$31.13 COP 112.4K

13.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$65.4 COP 236.1K

72.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$60.8 COP 219.5K

42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$258 COP 931.2K

138.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$221 COP 799.2K

101.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$423 COP 1.5M

383.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$301 COP 1.1M

395.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,583 COP 5.7M

138.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,461 COP 5.3M

81.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$740 COP 2.7M

-29.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-51.55%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manizales: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $258 in Manizales. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Manizales, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $17.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $179 – making Manizales the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $732 in Manizales – roughly 68% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,098 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manizales, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $17.00 in Manizales. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manizales, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Manizales it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $732 in Manizales to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manizales. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.