Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Neiva

For one person, living costs are similar in Phuket and in Neiva: $1,207 and $1,241 a month, rent and utilities included.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Neiva
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,241
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Neiva

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Neiva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,241 in Neiva.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Neiva $1,241

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $2,034 in Neiva.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Neiva $2,034

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $2,826 in Neiva.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Neiva $2,826

Living in Phuket costs roughly 3% less than in Neiva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Neiva 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿154
$7.72 COP 24.5K
-40.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,091
$41.66 COP 132.5K
-22.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿287
$10.26 COP 32.6K
-16.67%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.5
$2.61 COP 8,307
4.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.41
$1.34 COP 4,258
-29.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.48
$0.91 COP 2,892
-46.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿87.0
$2.06 COP 6,553
25.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿129
$3.96 COP 12.6K
-3.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.4
$1.62 COP 5,147
7.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿48.07
$2.45 COP 7,778
-41.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.3
$1.62 COP 5,152
-5.56%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.1
$3.54 COP 11.3K
-38.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿643
$8.18 COP 26.0K
134.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$7.51 COP 23.9K
-56.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿374
$9.91 COP 31.5K
12.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿99.0
$3.41 COP 10.8K
-13.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.4
$1.85 COP 5,895
-9.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿77.2
$1.94 COP 6,167
18.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.6
$1.77 COP 5,633
20.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.4
$1.42 COP 4,529
7.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.78
$1.42 COP 4,519
-4.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.63
$1.33 COP 4,244
-15.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.33
$1.19 COP 3,770
-53.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿143
$4.30 COP 13.7K
-0.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿611
$12.60 COP 40.1K
44.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.5
$1.44 COP 4,589
20.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.8
$2.88 COP 9,155
-3.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.4
$1.05 COP 3,335
111.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿741
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.8
$2.39 COP 7,606
21.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.97
$2.30 COP 7,320
-56.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿129
$9.66 COP 30.7K
-60.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.1
$1.35 COP 4,288
10.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿896.2K
$23.2K COP 73.9M
14.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿897.2K
$34.8K COP 110.6M
-23.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,338
$125 COP 398.6K
-20.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿379
$16.32 COP 51.9K
-30.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿583
$29.80 COP 94.8K
-41.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,756
$38.69 COP 123.0K
35.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿364
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿254
$7.72 COP 24.6K
-1.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.8K
$504 COP 1.6M
10.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿385.9K
$7,398 COP 23.5M
55.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,112
$82.5 COP 262.5K
-23.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿960
$48.05 COP 152.8K
-40.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,229
$144 COP 457.6K
-33.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,958
$105 COP 335.0K
-16.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.5K
$559 COP 1.8M
30.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.5K
$413 COP 1.3M
11.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.4K
$1,112 COP 3.5M
88.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿41.1K
$1,002 COP 3.2M
21.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿116.2K
$1,854 COP 5.9M
86.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.6K
$1,770 COP 5.6M
40.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Neiva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
12
-53.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Neiva: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Neiva
$413 10.3% $47
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Neiva
$263 1.8% $4.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Neiva
$171 33.9% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Neiva
$171 37.8% $47
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Neiva
$151 24.5% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Neiva
$54 19.7% $13
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Neiva
$18 * 53.5% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $559 in Neiva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Neiva. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $263, with Neiva cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇴 Neiva
🕒 Local time
17:19 5:19 PM
05:19 5:19 AM
12 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
357,392
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 3,181 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,562 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Neiva 18,620 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Neiva

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Neiva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Neiva?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Neiva. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Neiva?
You'd need roughly $1,811 in Phuket and $1,862 in Neiva 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Neiva?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $559 in Neiva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Neiva?
Shoppers in Neiva pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Neiva?
All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Phuket versus $1,241 in Neiva – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Neiva?
At $1,207 in Phuket versus $1,241 in Neiva, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Neiva. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Neiva?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,207 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Neiva?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Neiva are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Neiva. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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