😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $612 in Villavicencio.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,021 in Villavicencio.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,430 in Villavicencio.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 104% more expensive than in Villavicencio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Villavicencio54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$2.86COP 9,297
59.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$21.52COP 70.1K
114.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$6.16COP 20.1K
43.51%
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.27COP 4,135
140.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.82COP 2,679
-10.98%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.61COP 1,991
-34.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
$1.12COP 3,630
116.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
$1.66COP 5,395
127.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.00COP 3,247
126.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$1.20COP 3,904
50.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$0.90COP 2,935
150.00%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.96COP 6,373
14.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$4.81COP 15.7K
305.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$5.15COP 16.8K
-29.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$7.21COP 23.5K
81.00%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$2.49COP 8,108
29.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$0.78COP 2,554
107.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$1.36COP 4,433
75.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$1.24COP 4,044
63.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.11COP 3,606
37.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$1.14COP 3,696
31.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.72COP 2,341
36.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.67COP 2,174
-22.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$2.44COP 7,930
81.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
$12.11COP 39.4K
51.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
$0.81COP 2,651
129.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
$1.60COP 5,205
67.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$0.62COP 2,030
127.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$9.54COP 31.0K
22.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$1.43COP 4,649
117.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$1.39COP 4,517
-25.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$6.09COP 19.8K
131.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.02COP 3,317
28.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$12.1KCOP 39.5M
129.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$17.0KCOP 55.3M
95.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$31.70COP 103.2K
286.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$11.00COP 35.8K
23.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$22.79COP 74.2K
-17.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$25.61COP 83.4K
136.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$16.87COP 54.9K
0.65%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$3.79COP 12.3K
139.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$240COP 781.2K
194.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$8,420COP 27.4M
87.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$53.5COP 174.1K
9.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$32.14COP 104.6K
10.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$71.0COP 231.0K
62.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$66.3COP 215.8K
26.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$145COP 473.0K
330.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$137COP 444.5K
226.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$405COP 1.3M
403.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$382COP 1.2M
290.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$416COP 1.4M
20.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12.93
-58.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Villavicencio: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $145 in Villavicencio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Villavicencio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $172 per month, with Villavicencio 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 Villavicencio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villavicencio cheaper than Phuket?
Villavicencio is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Villavicencio?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Villavicencio?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $145 in Villavicencio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $240 in Villavicencio. 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 in Villavicencio?
Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Villavicencio?
At $612 in Villavicencio versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Villavicencio but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Villavicencio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Villavicencio more family-friendly?
For families, Villavicencio 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 Villavicencio?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Villavicencio 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 Villavicencio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.