Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Marta Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Marta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,494 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,761 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,028 in Santa Marta.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 18% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Santa Marta is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-27.14%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.59 COP 4,957

17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.28 COP 7,125

-35.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.20 COP 3,730

29.17%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.51 COP 7,819

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$8.27 COP 25.8K

136.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$9.91 COP 30.9K

-65.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$11.84 COP 36.9K

-3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.18 COP 13.0K

-28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.02 COP 3,168

64.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.10 COP 3,426

100.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.16 COP 6,729

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.02 COP 3,173

49.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.63 COP 5,082

-17.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.01 COP 3,138

11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.63 COP 1,952

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.22 COP 13.2K

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$17.78 COP 55.5K

7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.49 COP 4,657

19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.46 COP 4,558

90.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.95 COP 2,958

134.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.24 COP 10.1K

-6.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.31 COP 4,092

13.74%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$24.7K COP 76.9M

7.81%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$35.3K COP 110.3M

-23.52%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$159 COP 497.6K

-35.74%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$9.78 COP 30.5K

15.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$22.89 COP 71.4K

-23.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$32.48 COP 101.4K

60.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.37 COP 16.8K

43.20%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$11.1K COP 34.6M

3.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$89.9 COP 280.4K

-29.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$63.9 COP 199.5K

-53.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$97.4 COP 303.8K

0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$89.8 COP 280.3K

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,133 COP 3.5M

-34.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$751 COP 2.3M

-35.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,127 COP 3.5M

86.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$633 COP 2.0M

93.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,108 COP 3.5M

226.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,188 COP 3.7M

119.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$542 COP 1.7M

-8.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.54

-71.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,133 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Santa Marta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Santa Marta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,133 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,494 in Santa Marta – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,494 in Santa Marta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Marta. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Marta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Marta 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.