Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $761 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,072 in San Juan de Pasto versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,383 in San Juan de Pasto versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in San Juan de Pasto costs roughly 40% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan de Pasto 43% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 COP 9,927

$4.56 ฿149

-37.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 COP 42.8K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-73.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 COP 22.3K

$8.47 ฿276

-24.44%

Cappuccino

$1.69 COP 5,890

$3.03 ฿98.6

-44.22%

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

$0.64 COP 2,222

$0.69 ฿22.45

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 COP 1,689

$0.37 ฿11.92

29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,155

$2.49 ฿81.0

-52.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 COP 8,355

$3.66 ฿119

-34.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,701

$2.18 ฿71.0

-51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,525

$1.90 ฿62.0

-31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,929

$2.20 ฿71.6

-48.64%

Eggs

$1.92 COP 6,717

$2.22 ฿72.4

-13.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 COP 21.2K

$19.99 ฿651

-69.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 COP 14.5K

$3.66 ฿119

13.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 COP 25.6K

$13.25 ฿432

-44.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,566

$3.23 ฿105

-50.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,756

$1.70 ฿55.3

-36.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,737

$2.39 ฿78.0

-43.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,039

$2.08 ฿67.7

-58.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,056

$1.59 ฿51.8

-27.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,061

$1.48 ฿48.31

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,792

$1.03 ฿33.54

-22.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,423

$0.52 ฿16.83

32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,120

$4.25 ฿138

-45.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 COP 49.5K

$18.79 ฿612

-24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,919

$1.76 ฿57.2

-36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 6,002

$2.76 ฿89.8

-37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 COP 1,996

$1.36 ฿44.32

-58.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.32 COP 105.8K

$11.36 ฿370

166.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 5,094

$3.14 ฿102

-53.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 COP 5,079

$1.04 ฿33.74

40.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 COP 21.2K

$13.77 ฿448

-55.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 COP 3,106

$1.34 ฿43.79

-33.58%

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

$18.0K COP 62.7M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-35.11%

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

$26.0K COP 90.6M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-23.34%

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

$62.9 COP 219.4K

$124 ฿4,025

-49.13%

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

$7.29 COP 25.5K

$13.52 ฿440

-46.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 COP 81.7K

$18.69 ฿609

25.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.75 COP 75.9K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-64.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$3.84 COP 13.4K

$9.14 ฿298

-57.99%

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

$238 COP 832.3K

$703 ฿22.9K

-66.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,971 COP 20.8M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-62.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 209.7K

$59.5 ฿1,937

1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.04 COP 111.8K

$35.07 ฿1,142

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 COP 290.2K

$115 ฿3,754

-27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 COP 187.5K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-36.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$619 ฿20.1K

-50.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 822.5K

$433 ฿14.1K

-45.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 COP 1.3M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-81.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 COP 1.1M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-78.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.9M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-53.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,116 COP 3.9M

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-57.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$453 COP 1.6M

$507 ฿16.5K

-10.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

5.33

147.28%

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

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in San Juan de Pasto and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 12% 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: $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $293 per month, with San Juan de Pasto 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

San Juan de Pasto vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan de Pasto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 12% less. 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: $306 in San Juan de Pasto versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in San Juan de Pasto versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $761 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan de Pasto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan de Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Juan de Pasto 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.

Safety-wise, San Juan de Pasto and Phuket 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 San Juan de Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.