😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,583 in Drangsnes versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,763 in Drangsnes versus $2,255 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,943 in Drangsnes versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Drangsnes is roughly 29% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Drangsnes is 18% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.38ISK 3,230
$4.63฿151
469.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$143ISK 17.6K
$46.84฿1,532
206.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$22.74ISK 2,785
$8.84฿289
157.24%
Cappuccino
$6.21ISK 761
$3.00฿98.0
107.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36ISK 411
$0.74฿24.25
354.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64ISK 324
$0.37฿11.95
613.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.89ISK 1,578
$2.44฿79.8
428.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.15ISK 1,366
$3.61฿118
208.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.92ISK 236
$2.26฿73.9
-15.04%
White Bread(500g)
$4.21ISK 516
$1.84฿60.1
128.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.55ISK 435
$2.24฿73.4
58.48%
Eggs
$6.19ISK 758
$2.32฿75.7
166.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.04ISK 2,209
$19.67฿643
-8.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$24.15ISK 2,957
$3.65฿119
561.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$42.81ISK 5,242
$13.10฿428
226.79%
Apples(1kg)
$3.22ISK 394
$3.39฿111
-5.01%
Banana(1kg)
$2.41ISK 295
$1.64฿53.7
46.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.11ISK 380
$2.41฿79.0
29.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.04ISK 617
$2.03฿66.4
148.28%
Potato(1kg)
$3.59ISK 440
$1.56฿50.9
130.13%
Onion(1kg)
$2.32ISK 284
$1.50฿48.94
54.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.13ISK 384
$1.02฿33.50
206.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94ISK 237
$0.49฿16.00
295.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.63ISK 1,669
$4.45฿145
206.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.76ISK 2,787
$18.88฿617
20.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.58ISK 438
$1.78฿58.1
101.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22ISK 394
$2.75฿90.1
17.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.40฿45.81
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.42ISK 786
$3.12฿102
105.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51ISK 308
$1.00฿32.67
151.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$85.4ISK 10.5K
$14.09฿461
505.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.48ISK 304
$1.35฿44.19
83.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.2KISK 5.8M
$27.2K฿888.9K
73.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$52.2KISK 6.4M
$32.9K฿1.1M
58.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$88.2ISK 10.8K
$125฿4,087
-29.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.68ISK 3,390
$13.57฿444
103.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.6ISK 10.4K
$18.52฿606
356.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.5฿2,010
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿551
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.39ISK 2,129
$9.19฿300
89.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$319ISK 39.1K
$698฿22.8K
-54.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.4KISK 3.7M
$15.6K฿509.9K
95.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$137ISK 16.8K
$57.8฿1,889
137.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.4ISK 7,642
$35.24฿1,152
77.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$183ISK 22.4K
$113฿3,699
61.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$268ISK 32.9K
$86.4฿2,825
210.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$616฿20.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$446฿14.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,048฿67.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,492฿48.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Drangsnes
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,054ISK 741.2K
$524฿17.1K
1055.68%
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: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Drangsnes 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: $143 in Drangsnes vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $593 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
Drangsnes vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Drangsnes or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 29% 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 Phuket?
Drangsnes pays 1056% more on average, 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 Phuket?
Childcare runs $319 in Drangsnes versus $698 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 vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $143 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 Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,583 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 29% less than in Drangsnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.