😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $608 in Villavicencio.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,034 in Villavicencio.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,459 in Villavicencio.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 108% more expensive than Villavicencio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Villavicencio55% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$2.94COP 10.5K
59.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$21.86COP 78.1K
107.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$5.95COP 21.2K
41.68%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$1.22COP 4,373
140.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.82COP 2,940
-15.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.58COP 2,054
-36.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.06COP 3,795
127.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$1.68COP 5,984
121.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.01COP 3,624
120.79%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.21COP 4,304
51.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$0.91COP 3,262
138.46%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$1.98COP 7,081
11.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$4.79COP 17.1K
312.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$5.02COP 17.9K
-27.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$7.29COP 26.0K
85.60%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.46COP 8,793
33.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$0.80COP 2,853
101.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.31COP 4,695
83.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.28COP 4,576
62.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.11COP 3,978
37.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.12COP 3,988
32.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.70COP 2,490
41.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.68COP 2,425
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$2.41COP 8,601
82.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$10.64COP 38.0K
82.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.88COP 3,126
102.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$1.57COP 5,603
72.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.62COP 2,217
120.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$9.40COP 33.6K
21.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$1.44COP 5,141
109.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$1.37COP 4,909
-27.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$6.21COP 22.2K
127.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$0.98COP 3,515
38.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$12.3KCOP 43.9M
129.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$16.8KCOP 60.1M
95.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$32.67COP 116.7K
272.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$10.93COP 39.0K
24.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$23.09COP 82.5K
-20.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$24.95COP 89.1K
141.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$17.21COP 61.5K
-0.41%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$3.64COP 13.0K
138.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$242COP 862.9K
186.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$8,460COP 30.2M
85.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$55.2COP 197.0K
7.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$32.12COP 114.7K
8.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$71.0COP 253.6K
61.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$67.1COP 239.7K
24.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$148COP 527.2K
315.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$139COP 495.0K
215.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$412COP 1.5M
408.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$382COP 1.4M
295.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villavicencio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$378COP 1.3M
34.43%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Villavicencio: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $148 in Villavicencio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 34% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Villavicencio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $169 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 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Villavicencio?
Phuket pays 34% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $148 in Villavicencio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $242 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 Villavicencio?
Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Villavicencio?
At $608 in Villavicencio versus $1,265 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 108% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.