😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,602 in Drangsnes versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,826 in Drangsnes versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,050 in Drangsnes versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Drangsnes is roughly 27% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Drangsnes is 20% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.09ISK 3,349
$4.48฿150
504.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$146ISK 18.0K
$45.59฿1,521
219.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$22.43ISK 2,772
$8.76฿292
156.05%
Cappuccino
$6.21ISK 767
$2.97฿99.0
109.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37ISK 416
$0.69฿22.90
388.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56ISK 316
$0.39฿13.04
556.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.80ISK 1,582
$2.53฿84.4
405.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.29ISK 1,396
$3.75฿125
201.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.96ISK 243
$2.15฿71.6
-8.84%
White Bread(500g)
$4.35ISK 537
$1.82฿60.6
139.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.67ISK 453
$2.18฿72.9
68.35%
Eggs
$6.48ISK 801
$2.25฿75.0
188.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.10ISK 2,237
$20.00฿667
-9.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$24.54ISK 3,033
$3.63฿121
576.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$41.85ISK 5,172
$13.56฿452
208.63%
Apples(1kg)
$3.21ISK 397
$3.24฿108
-0.93%
Banana(1kg)
$2.46ISK 304
$1.64฿54.6
50.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.11ISK 384
$2.33฿77.8
33.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.14ISK 636
$2.07฿69.1
148.31%
Potato(1kg)
$3.72ISK 459
$1.55฿51.6
140.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.32ISK 286
$1.46฿48.54
58.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.04ISK 376
$0.98฿32.86
210.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.01ISK 249
$0.48฿16.09
318.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.39ISK 1,655
$4.35฿145
207.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$23.52ISK 2,907
$18.57฿620
26.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.57ISK 441
$1.86฿61.9
91.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26ISK 403
$2.65฿88.6
23.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.42฿47.28
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.57฿386
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.33ISK 782
$3.17฿106
99.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.65ISK 327
$1.03฿34.41
157.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$85.5ISK 10.6K
$13.89฿463
515.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.53ISK 313
$1.34฿44.84
88.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.9KISK 5.8M
$27.8K฿927.1K
68.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$52.7KISK 6.5M
$33.4K฿1.1M
57.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$86.7ISK 10.7K
$123฿4,105
-29.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.67ISK 3,420
$13.77฿459
100.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.9ISK 10.6K
$18.33฿611
368.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.7฿2,025
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16฿573
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.91ISK 2,213
$8.87฿296
101.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$315ISK 38.9K
$688฿22.9K
-54.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$29.5KISK 3.6M
$15.8K฿526.4K
87.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$139ISK 17.2K
$59.3฿1,978
135.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.9ISK 7,523
$34.69฿1,157
75.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$184ISK 22.8K
$115฿3,843
59.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$266ISK 32.9K
$83.8฿2,794
217.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$621฿20.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$446฿14.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,034฿67.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,496฿49.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,455฿115.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,531฿84.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,921ISK 731.8K
$494฿16.5K
1099.52%
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 Drangsnes: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Drangsnes pays 1100% 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: $146 in Drangsnes vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $599 vs $291 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 27% 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 1100% 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 $315 in Drangsnes versus $688 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 $46.00 versus $146 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 $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,602 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 $1,264 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 27% less than in Drangsnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.