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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,627 per month in Hella vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,850 per month in Hella vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,074 per month in Hella vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Hella costs about 29% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hella sits 22% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.50 ISK 3,276

$4.48 ฿150

491.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.2K

$45.59 ฿1,521

222.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.27 ISK 2,753

$8.76 ฿292

154.22%

Cappuccino

$6.01 ISK 743

$2.97 ฿99.0

102.36%

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

$3.26 ISK 403

$0.69 ฿22.90

372.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ISK 312

$0.39 ฿13.04

546.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.63 ISK 1,561

$2.53 ฿84.4

399.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.04 ISK 1,365

$3.75 ฿125

194.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ISK 240

$2.15 ฿71.6

-9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 ISK 532

$1.82 ฿60.6

136.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 ISK 462

$2.18 ฿72.9

71.56%

Eggs

$6.40 ISK 791

$2.25 ฿75.0

184.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.20 ISK 2,250

$20.00 ฿667

-9.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.23 ISK 2,995

$3.63 ฿121

567.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.93 ISK 5,183

$13.56 ฿452

209.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ISK 398

$3.24 ฿108

-0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ISK 314

$1.64 ฿54.6

54.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 375

$2.33 ฿77.8

30.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 ISK 612

$2.07 ฿69.1

139.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.55 ฿51.6

129.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 ISK 286

$1.46 ฿48.54

58.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 ISK 387

$0.98 ฿32.86

219.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ISK 241

$0.48 ฿16.09

306.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 ISK 1,658

$4.35 ฿145

208.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.81 ISK 2,820

$18.57 ฿620

22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 ISK 439

$1.86 ฿61.9

90.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ISK 416

$2.65 ฿88.6

26.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ISK 803

$3.17 ฿106

104.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 ISK 323

$1.03 ฿34.41

153.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

$13.89 ฿463

511.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 ISK 305

$1.34 ฿44.84

84.33%

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

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

73.38%

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

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

57.72%

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

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

$123 ฿4,105

-27.92%

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

$27.34 ISK 3,380

$13.77 ฿459

98.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

$18.33 ฿611

356.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 ISK 2,208

$8.87 ฿296

101.35%

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

$317 ISK 39.1K

$688 ฿22.9K

-53.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

91.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.4K

$59.3 ฿1,978

136.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 ISK 7,748

$34.69 ฿1,157

80.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.4K

$115 ฿3,843

57.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$261 ISK 32.2K

$83.8 ฿2,794

211.29%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 Hella: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Hella versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $594 vs $291 – 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: $1,627 in Hella, $1,264 in Phuket – roughly 29% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,440 per month in Hella and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,627 in Hella and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $317 per month in Hella and $688 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 $1,264, than in Hella at $1,627. 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 $1,264 in Phuket to $1,627 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.