😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $841 in Rionegro.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,489 in Rionegro.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,137 in Rionegro.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than Rionegro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Rionegro37% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$4.43COP 16.0K
4.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$30.19COP 109.0K
55.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$7.06COP 25.5K
25.21%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$1.71COP 6,161
75.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.10COP 3,960
-32.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.72COP 2,587
-48.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.66COP 5,981
46.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.24COP 11.7K
11.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$0.90COP 3,232
151.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.16COP 4,177
58.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.34COP 4,850
67.16%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.29COP 8,283
1.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$4.45COP 16.1K
342.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$2.03COP 7,321
79.80%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$8.65COP 31.2K
51.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$1.74COP 6,269
94.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.06COP 3,826
54.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$0.97COP 3,503
148.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$0.74COP 2,659
174.32%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.69COP 2,503
126.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.16COP 4,205
29.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.49COP 1,757
108.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.39COP 1,413
25.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$1.97COP 7,128
125.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$6.35COP 22.9K
197.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.20COP 4,345
48.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.42COP 8,726
13.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.64COP 2,323
118.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$29.84COP 107.7K
-61.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$1.46COP 5,281
113.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.68COP 6,057
-40.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$8.06COP 29.1K
74.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.95COP 3,431
42.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$18.1KCOP 65.4M
50.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.6KCOP 96.2M
23.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$83.1COP 300.2K
50.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$9.74COP 35.2K
39.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$24.22COP 87.4K
-23.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$21.68COP 78.3K
183.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$4.03COP 14.6K
128.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$307COP 1.1M
127.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$5,966COP 21.5M
161.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$58.8COP 212.2K
-1.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$31.87COP 115.0K
10.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$100COP 361.6K
12.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$106COP 380.9K
-18.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$385COP 1.4M
59.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$289COP 1.0M
54.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$439COP 1.6M
365.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$869COP 3.1M
71.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$1,648COP 5.9M
129.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,381COP 5.0M
91.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
13.43
-60.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Rionegro: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $385 in Rionegro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Rionegro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $142 per month, with Rionegro 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 Rionegro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rionegro cheaper than Phuket?
Rionegro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,262 in Rionegro 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Rionegro?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $385 in Rionegro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $307 in Rionegro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Rionegro?
Supermarket bills run roughly 106% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Rionegro?
At $841 in Rionegro versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rionegro but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rionegro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Rionegro more family-friendly?
For families, Rionegro 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Rionegro?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Rionegro 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Rionegro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.