😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,742 in Drangsnes versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,973 in Drangsnes versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,204 in Drangsnes versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Drangsnes is roughly 41% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Drangsnes is 27% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.65ISK 3,733
$4.41฿147
595.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$135ISK 16.4K
$32.26฿1,077
317.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$26.74ISK 3,257
$8.93฿298
199.44%
Cappuccino
$6.73ISK 820
$2.90฿96.6
132.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31ISK 404
$0.88฿29.38
276.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29ISK 400
$0.48฿16.06
585.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$13.97ISK 1,702
$2.35฿78.5
494.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$12.22ISK 1,489
$3.72฿124
228.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.14ISK 260
$1.87฿62.3
14.44%
White Bread(500g)
$4.30ISK 524
$1.47฿48.94
192.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.65ISK 445
$1.55฿51.8
135.48%
Eggs
$7.13ISK 869
$2.10฿70.1
239.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.86ISK 2,540
$19.59฿654
6.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$24.71ISK 3,010
$3.42฿114
622.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$41.41ISK 5,044
$11.38฿380
263.88%
Apples(1kg)
$3.43ISK 418
$2.98฿99.6
15.10%
Banana(1kg)
$2.91ISK 355
$1.68฿56.2
73.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.34ISK 406
$2.21฿73.7
51.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.32ISK 770
$2.16฿72.1
192.59%
Potato(1kg)
$3.94ISK 480
$1.52฿50.9
159.21%
Onion(1kg)
$1.66ISK 203
$1.34฿44.67
23.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.77ISK 460
$1.13฿37.67
233.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82ISK 222
$0.55฿18.24
230.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.76ISK 1,676
$4.26฿142
223.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$24.08ISK 2,933
$19.09฿637
26.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.84ISK 468
$1.78฿59.4
115.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45ISK 420
$2.78฿92.9
24.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.4
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.94ISK 845
$3.03฿101
129.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.84ISK 346
$1.02฿34.15
178.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$74.2ISK 9,035
$3.89฿130
1806.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.92ISK 234
$1.49฿49.77
28.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.5KISK 6.3M
$26.6K฿887.3K
93.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.0KISK 6.6M
$27.0K฿902.2K
99.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.3ISK 10.9K
$102฿3,420
-12.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.62ISK 4,095
$11.33฿378
196.73%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.9ISK 10.5K
$17.40฿581
393.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$52.1฿1,738
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿370
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.09ISK 2,447
$7.69฿257
161.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,173ISK 142.9K
$561฿18.7K
109.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$31.0KISK 3.8M
$11.5K฿384.1K
169.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$157ISK 19.1K
$63.0฿2,104
149.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.2ISK 8,184
$29.52฿986
127.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$182ISK 22.1K
$98.0฿3,272
85.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$252ISK 30.7K
$88.5฿2,954
184.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$738฿24.6K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$482฿16.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,107฿70.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,226฿40.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,617฿120.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,076ISK 740.1K
$494฿16.5K
1130.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.88
5.57
59.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Drangsnes: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Drangsnes pays 1131% 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: $135 in Drangsnes vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $624 vs $274 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
Drangsnes vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Drangsnes or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Drangsnes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Drangsnes or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 1131% higher in Drangsnes, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do childcare costs compare in Drangsnes and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $1,173 in Drangsnes versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Drangsnes and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $135 in Drangsnes. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Drangsnes or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,742 in Drangsnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Drangsnes. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Drangsnes or Phuket?
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.
How safe is Drangsnes compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Drangsnes 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Drangsnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.