😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $851 in Rionegro.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,471 in Rionegro.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,092 in Rionegro.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than Rionegro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Rionegro37% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$4.35COP 15.2K
4.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$30.62COP 106.9K
52.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$7.07COP 24.7K
19.80%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$1.70COP 5,939
78.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$1.06COP 3,713
-34.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$0.77COP 2,694
-51.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$1.66COP 5,788
50.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$3.08COP 10.7K
18.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$0.85COP 2,951
156.47%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$1.11COP 3,873
71.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$1.40COP 4,885
57.14%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$2.26COP 7,898
-1.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$4.56COP 15.9K
338.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$2.01COP 7,032
82.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$8.64COP 30.1K
53.36%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$1.65COP 5,756
95.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.10COP 3,840
54.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$0.97COP 3,374
146.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$0.79COP 2,751
163.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$0.66COP 2,318
140.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.12COP 3,925
32.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$0.50COP 1,738
106.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$0.43COP 1,497
20.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$1.91COP 6,680
122.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$6.09COP 21.3K
208.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.16COP 4,040
51.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$2.46COP 8,595
12.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$0.65COP 2,274
109.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
$29.57COP 103.2K
-61.58%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$1.48COP 5,151
112.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$1.73COP 6,031
-39.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$7.76COP 27.1K
77.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$0.96COP 3,346
39.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$18.2KCOP 63.4M
52.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$26.8KCOP 93.4M
26.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$80.9COP 282.4K
52.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$9.86COP 34.4K
37.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$24.07COP 84.0K
-22.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$21.83COP 76.2K
183.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$4.04COP 14.1K
126.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$311COP 1.1M
125.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$5,935COP 20.7M
167.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$60.2COP 209.9K
-1.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$31.91COP 111.4K
9.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$99.9COP 348.5K
15.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$107COP 372.7K
-21.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$384COP 1.3M
61.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$286COP 998.8K
51.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$430COP 1.5M
379.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$876COP 3.1M
72.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$1,404COP 4.9M
159.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$1,185COP 4.1M
121.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rionegro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
-
-
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Rionegro: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $384 in Rionegro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Rionegro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $141 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,276 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: $619 in Phuket versus $384 in Rionegro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $311 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 108% 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 $851 in Rionegro versus $1,261 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 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.