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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $742 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,089 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,437 in Manizales, rent included.

Phuket costs about 70% more than Manizales, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Manizales are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Manizales 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.71 COP 11.7K

20.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$17.25 COP 54.3K

164.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.61 COP 24.0K

15.11%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.34 COP 4,231

121.64%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.73 COP 2,310

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.52 COP 1,631

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.12 COP 3,532

125.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.12 COP 6,660

76.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.04 COP 3,263

106.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.41 COP 4,437

29.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.12 COP 3,519

94.64%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.00 COP 6,282

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.87 COP 15.3K

310.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.05 COP 15.9K

-28.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.30 COP 23.0K

85.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.96 COP 9,318

9.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.03 COP 3,254

59.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.37 COP 4,304

70.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.29 COP 4,055

60.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.11 COP 3,507

39.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.12 COP 3,524

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.77 COP 2,423

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.83 COP 2,613

-42.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.45 COP 7,705

77.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.74 COP 33.8K

72.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.11 COP 3,500

67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.93 COP 6,065

37.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.67 COP 2,106

111.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$27.06 COP 85.2K

-57.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.18 COP 3,705

168.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.28 COP 4,025

-19.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.22 COP 19.6K

123.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.01 COP 3,174

32.67%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$15.8K COP 49.6M

76.31%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$25.5K COP 80.4M

30.70%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$60.2 COP 189.4K

104.57%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$9.03 COP 28.4K

52.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$24.94 COP 78.5K

-26.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$27.66 COP 87.1K

119.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$19.02 COP 59.9K

-9.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.21 COP 10.1K

176.32%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$243 COP 764.3K

183.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,515 COP 26.8M

85.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$37.22 COP 117.2K

59.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$30.93 COP 97.4K

12.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$63.9 COP 201.3K

80.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$59.7 COP 188.0K

40.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$262 COP 824.7K

137.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$224 COP 705.1K

99.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$425 COP 1.3M

378.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$298 COP 936.8K

402.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,819 COP 5.7M

89.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,630 COP 5.1M

55.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$906 COP 2.9M

-45.52%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manizales: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $262 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 84% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $17.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $181 – 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: $1,264 in Phuket, $742 in Manizales – roughly 70% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,113 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 61% 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 $46.00 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 $742, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $742 in Manizales to $1,264 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.