Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $789 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,197 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,606 in Pasto.

Living in Phuket is roughly 59% more expensive than in Pasto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Pasto 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.86 COP 12.6K

17.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$23.39 COP 76.2K

97.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.19 COP 23.4K

22.95%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.51 COP 4,923

102.65%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.92 COP 2,991

-20.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.57 COP 1,841

-29.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.15 COP 3,733

111.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.12 COP 6,899

78.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.06 COP 3,465

113.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.30 COP 4,239

39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.18 COP 3,827

90.68%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.21 COP 7,206

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.63 COP 15.1K

321.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.18 COP 16.9K

-29.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.46 COP 24.3K

74.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.42 COP 7,872

33.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.09 COP 3,554

48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.29 COP 4,213

84.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.11 COP 3,611

82.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.13 COP 3,670

35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.18 COP 3,825

27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.86 COP 2,799

13.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.69 COP 2,262

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.44 COP 7,934

81.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.69 COP 31.6K

89.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.09 COP 3,541

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.80 COP 5,857

48.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.72 COP 2,339

95.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$30.17 COP 98.2K

-61.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.47 COP 4,799

111.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.71 COP 5,568

-39.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$5.95 COP 19.4K

137.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.02 COP 3,304

28.43%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

54.57%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.8K COP 84.0M

28.65%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$83.9 COP 273.1K

45.97%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.33 COP 30.4K

45.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.71 COP 73.9K

-17.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$23.64 COP 77.0K

155.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.05 COP 13.2K

123.95%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$236 COP 769.1K

199.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,941 COP 19.3M

166.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$59.0 COP 192.0K

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$33.12 COP 107.8K

6.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$84.6 COP 275.3K

36.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$72.9 COP 237.3K

14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$276 COP 899.6K

126.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$236 COP 767.6K

88.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$525 COP 1.7M

288.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$415 COP 1.4M

259.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,429 COP 4.7M

143.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,055 COP 3.4M

144.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.06

-59.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pasto: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $276 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $175 per month, with Pasto 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 Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Pasto differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $789 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,183 in Pasto 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $276 in Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasto – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $789 in Pasto versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pasto 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 Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.