Cost of Living Comparison Between Akranes and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Akranes and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,735 in Akranes versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,858 in Akranes versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,980 in Akranes versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in Akranes is roughly 196% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Akranes is 173% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.39 ISK 3,449

$4.43 ฿145

540.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 ISK 16.1K

$35.07 ฿1,151

278.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$25.70 ISK 3,123

$8.96 ฿294

186.83%

Cappuccino

$6.24 ISK 758

$3.00 ฿98.4

108.00%

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

$3.25 ISK 395

$0.77 ฿25.33

322.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ISK 300

$0.47 ฿15.44

425.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.76 ISK 1,307

$2.40 ฿78.6

348.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.17 ISK 993

$3.75 ฿123

117.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ISK 253

$1.82 ฿59.8

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 ISK 250

$1.42 ฿46.65

44.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 ISK 438

$1.55 ฿50.8

132.26%

Eggs

$6.08 ISK 739

$2.13 ฿69.9

185.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.02 ISK 2,433

$19.76 ฿648

1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.42 ISK 2,968

$3.48 ฿114

601.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.31 ISK 5,019

$11.09 ฿364

272.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ISK 402

$2.91 ฿95.5

13.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ISK 339

$1.66 ฿54.6

68.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ISK 397

$2.27 ฿74.5

43.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 ISK 608

$2.10 ฿68.8

138.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ISK 476

$1.47 ฿48.24

165.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ISK 205

$1.41 ฿46.29

19.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.31 ISK 402

$1.09 ฿35.78

203.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ISK 210

$0.54 ฿17.58

220.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 ISK 1,689

$4.48 ฿147

210.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 ISK 2,822

$18.72 ฿614

24.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ISK 343

$1.84 ฿60.4

53.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ISK 250

$2.95 ฿96.7

-30.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 ISK 438

$2.26 ฿74.1

59.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ISK 8,889

$23.07 ฿757

217.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ISK 832

$3.04 ฿99.9

125.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 ISK 151

$1.09 ฿35.82

13.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.0 ISK 8,742

$3.82 ฿125

1783.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 ISK 238

$1.49 ฿48.79

31.54%

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

$50.7K ISK 6.2M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

84.72%

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

$53.6K ISK 6.5M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

94.81%

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

$85.4 ISK 10.4K

$102 ฿3,340

-16.15%

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

$32.80 ISK 3,986

$11.28 ฿370

190.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 ISK 10.3K

$17.75 ฿582

375.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 ISK 12.6K

$54.2 ฿1,777

91.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$19.64 ISK 2,386

$7.85 ฿258

150.19%

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

$1,115 ISK 135.5K

$577 ฿18.9K

93.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K ISK 3.7M

$11.6K ฿381.6K

165.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$155 ISK 18.8K

$65.4 ฿2,144

136.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 ISK 8,101

$28.89 ฿948

130.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$189 ISK 23.0K

$99.1 ฿3,250

90.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

$90.3 ฿2,961

179.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,962 ISK 359.9K

$756 ฿24.8K

292.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ISK 234.2K

$487 ฿16.0K

295.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,803 ISK 583.6K

$2,085 ฿68.4K

130.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,648 ISK 443.2K

$1,207 ฿39.6K

202.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,803 ISK 705.1K

$502 ฿16.5K

1055.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

5.57

63.38%

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

Last update for Akranes: August 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,962 in Akranes and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 1056% 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: $133 in Akranes vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $571 vs $272 per month, with Phuket 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

Akranes vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 196% lower than in Akranes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1056% higher in Akranes, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,962 in Akranes versus $756 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,735 per month in Akranes versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 196% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 217% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,735 in Akranes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Akranes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Akranes 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 196% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.