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: $3,434 in Akranes versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,592 in Akranes versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,750 in Akranes versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Akranes is roughly 179% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Akranes is 156% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.17 ISK 3,328

$4.63 ฿151

486.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 ISK 17.7K

$46.84 ฿1,523

209.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.07 ISK 2,703

$8.84 ฿287

149.66%

Cappuccino

$6.13 ISK 751

$3.00 ฿97.4

104.33%

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

$3.14 ISK 384

$0.74 ฿24.11

324.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ISK 289

$0.37 ฿11.88

537.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.54 ISK 1,291

$2.44 ฿79.3

331.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 ISK 997

$3.61 ฿117

125.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ISK 236

$2.26 ฿73.5

-15.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 ISK 253

$1.84 ฿59.8

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 ISK 439

$2.24 ฿73.0

60.27%

Eggs

$6.11 ISK 748

$2.32 ฿75.3

163.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.93 ISK 2,195

$19.67 ฿639

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.18 ISK 2,961

$3.65 ฿119

562.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.23 ISK 5,295

$13.10 ฿426

230.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ISK 400

$3.39 ฿110

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 296

$1.64 ฿53.4

47.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 ISK 364

$2.41 ฿78.5

23.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 ISK 604

$2.03 ฿66.0

142.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ISK 436

$1.56 ฿50.6

128.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 ISK 284

$1.50 ฿48.66

54.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 ISK 374

$1.02 ฿33.30

199.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 236

$0.49 ฿15.91

293.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 ISK 1,678

$4.45 ฿145

207.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.69 ISK 2,779

$18.88 ฿614

20.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ISK 337

$1.78 ฿57.7

54.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ISK 242

$2.75 ฿89.5

-28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 ISK 449

$1.40 ฿45.54

162.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 ISK 9,004

$11.48 ฿373

540.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 ISK 799

$3.12 ฿101

108.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ISK 128

$1.00 ฿32.48

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.4 ISK 10.6K

$14.09 ฿458

513.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 ISK 314

$1.35 ฿43.93

89.63%

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

$47.6K ISK 5.8M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

75.24%

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

$52.3K ISK 6.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

58.75%

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

$87.7 ISK 10.7K

$125 ฿4,063

-29.83%

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

$27.18 ISK 3,328

$13.57 ฿441

100.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 ISK 10.7K

$18.52 ฿602

369.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 ISK 2,180

$9.19 ฿299

93.69%

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

$327 ISK 40.0K

$698 ฿22.7K

-53.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ISK 3.7M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

94.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.1K

$57.8 ฿1,878

142.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 ISK 7,585

$35.24 ฿1,146

75.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ISK 21.9K

$113 ฿3,677

58.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$263 ISK 32.2K

$86.4 ฿2,808

204.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,958 ISK 362.2K

$616 ฿20.0K

380.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 ISK 224.5K

$446 ฿14.5K

311.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,728 ISK 579.1K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

130.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,569 ISK 437.1K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

139.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,650 ISK 691.9K

$524 ฿17.0K

978.62%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,958 in Akranes and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 979% 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 $292 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 179% 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 979% 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: $2,958 in Akranes versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,434 per month in Akranes versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 179% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 540% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,434 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 $1,232 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 179% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.