😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,613 in Grundarfjordur versus $1,223 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,819 in Grundarfjordur versus $2,237 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,026 in Grundarfjordur versus $3,251 in Phuket.
😐Living in Grundarfjordur is roughly 32% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Grundarfjordur is 21% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.09ISK 3,365
$4.51฿147
500.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$143ISK 17.8K
$46.62฿1,515
206.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$22.22ISK 2,761
$8.49฿276
161.72%
Cappuccino
$6.28ISK 780
$3.08฿100
103.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33ISK 413
$0.68฿22.07
389.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60ISK 323
$0.36฿11.75
622.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.71ISK 1,579
$2.43฿78.8
423.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$11.29ISK 1,403
$3.63฿118
211.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94ISK 242
$2.19฿71.1
-11.42%
White Bread(500g)
$4.22ISK 524
$1.81฿59.0
133.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.70ISK 459
$2.23฿72.5
65.92%
Eggs
$6.47ISK 804
$2.24฿72.7
188.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.22ISK 2,264
$19.60฿637
-7.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$23.81ISK 2,959
$3.72฿121
540.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$43.12ISK 5,357
$13.47฿438
220.12%
Apples(1kg)
$3.27ISK 406
$3.36฿109
-2.68%
Banana(1kg)
$2.50ISK 310
$1.62฿52.5
54.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.96ISK 368
$2.41฿78.3
22.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.98ISK 619
$1.99฿64.6
150.25%
Potato(1kg)
$3.67ISK 456
$1.53฿49.76
139.87%
Onion(1kg)
$2.45ISK 304
$1.45฿47.19
68.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.14ISK 390
$1.01฿32.96
210.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.01ISK 250
$0.48฿15.73
318.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.70ISK 1,702
$4.27฿139
220.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.97ISK 2,854
$19.12฿621
20.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.72ISK 462
$1.84฿59.7
102.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36ISK 418
$2.74฿89.1
22.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.42฿46.06
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.72฿381
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.42ISK 798
$3.00฿97.6
114.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.61ISK 324
$1.05฿34.00
148.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$87.7ISK 10.9K
$13.90฿452
531.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.45ISK 304
$1.29฿41.94
89.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.6KISK 5.8M
$28.0K฿911.1K
66.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$51.5KISK 6.4M
$33.5K฿1.1M
53.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$86.9ISK 10.8K
$122฿3,964
-28.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.96ISK 3,474
$13.93฿453
100.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.1ISK 10.6K
$18.87฿613
351.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.3฿1,992
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿547
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.69ISK 2,198
$8.89฿289
98.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$322ISK 40.0K
$691฿22.5K
-53.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$29.8KISK 3.7M
$16.2K฿525.2K
84.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$141ISK 17.5K
$57.8฿1,878
143.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.0ISK 7,708
$35.39฿1,150
75.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$182ISK 22.6K
$113฿3,685
60.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$266ISK 33.1K
$83.0฿2,698
220.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$607฿19.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$448฿14.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,029฿66.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,493฿48.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,585฿116.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,173ISK 145.7K
$2,585฿84.0K
-54.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grundarfjordur
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$505฿16.4K
-
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 Grundarfjordur: June 15, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $143 in Grundarfjordur vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 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
Grundarfjordur vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Grundarfjordur or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Grundarfjordur. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Grundarfjordur vs Phuket?
You'd need roughly $2,419 in Grundarfjordur and $1,835 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Are groceries more expensive in Grundarfjordur or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Grundarfjordur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Grundarfjordur compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,613 per month in Grundarfjordur versus $1,223 in Phuket – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Grundarfjordur or Phuket?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,613 in Grundarfjordur, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Grundarfjordur. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Grundarfjordur or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Grundarfjordur compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Grundarfjordur 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 32% less than in Grundarfjordur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Grundarfjordur vs other spots: cost of living compared