😐A single person spends $2,671 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $4,046 per month in Ilulissat vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $5,420 per month in Ilulissat vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Ilulissat costs about 111% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Ilulissat sits 94% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.29DKK 202
$4.66฿154
571.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$112DKK 722
$32.22฿1,065
247.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$19.29DKK 124
$8.68฿287
122.24%
Cappuccino
$6.19DKK 39.88
$2.90฿95.8
113.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.84฿27.89
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05DKK 19.65
$0.49฿16.16
522.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$13.36DKK 86.1
$2.48฿82.0
438.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.16DKK 46.14
$3.73฿123
91.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.06DKK 19.71
$1.89฿62.3
61.90%
White Bread(500g)
$5.58DKK 35.94
$1.41฿46.54
295.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.38DKK 28.25
$1.62฿53.6
170.37%
Eggs
-
$2.24฿74.1
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
$34.14DKK 220
$19.84฿656
72.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$39.73DKK 256
$3.48฿115
1041.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$26.81DKK 173
$11.37฿376
135.80%
Apples(1kg)
$6.37DKK 41.04
$2.90฿95.8
119.66%
Banana(1kg)
$5.35DKK 34.49
$1.72฿57.0
211.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.40DKK 41.21
$2.27฿75.1
181.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.56DKK 29.40
$2.13฿70.4
114.08%
Potato(1kg)
$3.84DKK 24.74
$1.47฿48.72
161.22%
Onion(1kg)
$5.48DKK 35.31
$1.42฿46.92
285.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$6.79DKK 43.73
$1.10฿36.25
517.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.17DKK 20.44
$0.60฿19.76
428.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.31฿142
-
Wine(Bottle)
$23.59DKK 152
$18.60฿615
26.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.80฿59.5
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.24DKK 27.33
$2.97฿98.0
42.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.78DKK 24.35
$2.25฿74.2
68.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$94.4DKK 608
$23.49฿776
301.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.19DKK 20.57
$3.10฿102
2.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$6.14DKK 39.56
$1.08฿35.56
468.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89DKK 50.8
$3.87฿128
103.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.74DKK 4.79
$1.43฿47.16
-48.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.7KDKK 262.4K
$27.8K฿918.0K
46.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.2KDKK 91.7K
$27.0K฿891.5K
-47.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$259DKK 1,670
$105฿3,462
147.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.6DKK 442
$11.39฿376
501.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$189DKK 1,218
$17.54฿580
977.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$54.3฿1,795
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$7.78฿257
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$633DKK 4,082
$576฿19.0K
9.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KDKK 69.4K
$11.6K฿382.7K
-7.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$63.6฿2,103
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.4DKK 344
$29.10฿961
83.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$168DKK 1,083
$96.2฿3,179
74.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$229DKK 1,475
$90.0฿2,974
154.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$491DKK 3,162
$733฿24.2K
-33.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$637DKK 4,105
$501฿16.5K
27.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$904DKK 5,826
$2,126฿70.2K
-57.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$884DKK 5,695
$1,252฿41.4K
-29.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,838DKK 24.7K
$3,534฿116.8K
8.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,254DKK 27.4K
$2,622฿86.6K
62.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ilulissat
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,064DKK 13.3K
$508฿16.8K
306.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.95
5.57
-11.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ilulissat: September 5, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Ilulissat versus $733 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 307% higher in Ilulissat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $112 in Ilulissat versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $741 vs $275 – 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
Ilulissat vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ilulissat and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,671 in Ilulissat, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 111% apart. Ilulissat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Ilulissat compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,007 per month in Ilulissat and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ilulissat and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Ilulissat and in Phuket?
Public transport costs about 302% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ilulissat and Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $633 per month in Ilulissat and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Ilulissat at $2,671. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilulissat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ilulissat and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $2,671 in Ilulissat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ilulissat or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Ilulissat and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ilulissat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.