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: $3,507 in Akranes versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,547 in Akranes versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,588 in Akranes versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Akranes is roughly 178% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Akranes is 161% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.23 ISK 3,390

$4.56 ฿149

497.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 ISK 18.0K

$46.63 ฿1,519

210.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.36 ISK 2,784

$8.47 ฿276

163.99%

Cappuccino

$5.86 ISK 730

$3.03 ฿98.6

93.40%

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

$3.18 ISK 397

$0.69 ฿22.45

360.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ISK 295

$0.37 ฿11.92

540.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.25 ISK 1,276

$2.49 ฿81.0

311.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 ISK 1,016

$3.66 ฿119

122.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ISK 232

$2.18 ฿71.0

-14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 ISK 248

$1.90 ฿62.0

4.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 ISK 458

$2.20 ฿71.6

67.27%

Eggs

$5.99 ISK 745

$2.22 ฿72.4

169.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 ISK 2,226

$19.99 ฿651

-10.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.33 ISK 3,029

$3.66 ฿119

564.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.76 ISK 5,324

$13.25 ฿432

222.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ISK 410

$3.23 ฿105

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ISK 311

$1.70 ฿55.3

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 ISK 382

$2.39 ฿78.0

28.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 ISK 587

$2.08 ฿67.7

126.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ISK 443

$1.59 ฿51.8

123.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 ISK 295

$1.48 ฿48.31

60.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 ISK 389

$1.03 ฿33.54

202.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ISK 240

$0.52 ฿16.83

269.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 ISK 1,715

$4.25 ฿138

224.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 ISK 2,862

$18.79 ฿612

22.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 ISK 359

$1.76 ฿57.2

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ISK 253

$2.76 ฿89.8

-26.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.72 ISK 464

$1.36 ฿44.32

173.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ISK 9,110

$11.36 ฿370

544.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 ISK 767

$3.14 ฿102

96.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ISK 136

$1.04 ฿33.74

4.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.5 ISK 10.9K

$13.77 ฿448

535.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 ISK 319

$1.34 ฿43.79

91.04%

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

$47.9K ISK 6.0M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

73.23%

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

$53.0K ISK 6.6M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

56.44%

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

$89.0 ISK 11.1K

$124 ฿4,025

-27.99%

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

$27.09 ISK 3,372

$13.52 ฿440

100.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 ISK 10.6K

$18.69 ฿609

357.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$17.79 ISK 2,215

$9.14 ฿298

94.64%

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

$323 ISK 40.2K

$703 ฿22.9K

-54.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K ISK 3.7M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

87.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 ISK 17.3K

$59.5 ฿1,937

133.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 ISK 7,714

$35.07 ฿1,142

76.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.7K

$115 ฿3,754

58.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$267 ISK 33.2K

$84.1 ฿2,737

217.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,952 ISK 367.5K

$619 ฿20.1K

377.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 ISK 237.1K

$433 ฿14.1K

340.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,727 ISK 588.5K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

129.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,649 ISK 454.3K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

141.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,692 ISK 708.6K

$507 ฿16.5K

1022.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

5.33

80.68%

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

Last update for Akranes: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,952 in Akranes and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 1023% 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: $145 in Akranes vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $564 vs $293 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 178% 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.

Akranes pays 1023% more on average, 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: $2,952 in Akranes versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,507 per month in Akranes versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 544% 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 $3,507 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 178% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.