Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,694 per month in Hella vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,923 per month in Hella vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,152 per month in Hella vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Hella costs about 38% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hella sits 24% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 ISK 3,645

$4.41 ฿147

578.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 ISK 16.6K

$32.26 ฿1,077

323.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.99 ISK 3,287

$8.93 ฿298

202.24%

Cappuccino

$6.87 ISK 837

$2.90 ฿96.6

136.90%

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

$3.25 ISK 396

$0.88 ฿29.38

269.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ISK 392

$0.48 ฿16.06

568.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 ISK 1,690

$2.35 ฿78.5

490.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.29 ISK 1,497

$3.72 ฿124

230.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ISK 259

$1.87 ฿62.3

13.37%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 ISK 526

$1.47 ฿48.94

193.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 450

$1.55 ฿51.8

138.06%

Eggs

$7.01 ISK 854

$2.10 ฿70.1

233.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 ISK 2,573

$19.59 ฿654

7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.72 ISK 3,011

$3.42 ฿114

622.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.94 ISK 5,230

$11.38 ฿380

277.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 408

$2.98 ฿99.6

12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 ISK 356

$1.68 ฿56.2

73.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ISK 385

$2.21 ฿73.7

42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 ISK 762

$2.16 ฿72.1

189.35%

Potato (1kg)

$4.13 ISK 504

$1.52 ฿50.9

171.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 202

$1.34 ฿44.67

23.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.81 ISK 465

$1.13 ฿37.67

237.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ISK 214

$0.55 ฿18.24

220.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 ISK 1,690

$4.26 ฿142

225.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.10 ISK 2,936

$19.09 ฿637

26.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 ISK 462

$1.78 ฿59.4

112.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ISK 410

$2.78 ฿92.9

21.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ISK 827

$3.03 ฿101

124.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 ISK 345

$1.02 ฿34.15

177.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.9 ISK 9,118

$3.89 ฿130

1824.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 ISK 246

$1.49 ฿49.77

35.57%

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

$50.8K ISK 6.2M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

91.08%

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

$54.3K ISK 6.6M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

100.98%

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

$88.2 ISK 10.7K

$102 ฿3,420

-13.94%

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

$32.75 ISK 3,989

$11.33 ฿378

189.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.2K

$17.40 ฿581

381.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$19.68 ISK 2,396

$7.69 ฿257

155.92%

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

$1,190 ISK 144.9K

$561 ฿18.7K

112.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

166.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$161 ISK 19.6K

$63.0 ฿2,104

155.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 ISK 8,170

$29.52 ฿986

127.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.1K

$98.0 ฿3,272

85.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

$88.5 ฿2,954

184.28%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 Hella: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $137 in Hella versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $627 vs $274 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hella vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,694 in Hella, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 38% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,541 per month in Hella and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,694 in Hella and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,190 per month in Hella and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Hella at $1,694. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $1,694 in Hella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.