Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,069 in Keflavik versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,595 in Keflavik versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,122 in Keflavik versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Keflavik is roughly 149% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Keflavik is 124% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.41 ISK 2,974

$4.41 ฿147

453.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 ISK 16.7K

$32.26 ฿1,077

324.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.50 ISK 2,497

$8.93 ฿298

129.56%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ISK 489

$2.90 ฿96.6

38.28%

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

$3.22 ISK 392

$0.88 ฿29.38

265.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ISK 408

$0.48 ฿16.06

597.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.49 ISK 1,035

$2.35 ฿78.5

261.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.34 ISK 1,016

$3.72 ฿124

124.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ISK 246

$1.87 ฿62.3

8.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 ISK 526

$1.47 ฿48.94

193.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 ISK 292

$1.55 ฿51.8

54.84%

Eggs

$6.45 ISK 785

$2.10 ฿70.1

207.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 ISK 2,336

$19.59 ฿654

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.88 ISK 2,909

$3.42 ฿114

598.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.74 ISK 5,206

$11.38 ฿380

275.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 297

$2.98 ฿99.6

-18.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 ISK 293

$1.68 ฿56.2

43.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 297

$2.21 ฿73.7

10.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 ISK 515

$2.16 ฿72.1

95.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 ISK 387

$1.52 ฿50.9

109.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 ISK 203

$1.34 ฿44.67

24.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.84 ISK 468

$1.13 ฿37.67

239.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ISK 224

$0.55 ฿18.24

234.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 ISK 1,738

$4.26 ฿142

234.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 ISK 1,983

$19.09 ฿637

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.83 ISK 467

$1.78 ฿59.4

115.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ISK 345

$2.78 ฿92.9

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 ISK 439

$2.23 ฿74.4

61.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.8 ISK 9,470

$22.74 ฿759

241.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 ISK 796

$3.03 ฿101

115.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 ISK 330

$1.02 ฿34.15

165.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.5 ISK 9,196

$3.89 ฿130

1840.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 ISK 234

$1.49 ฿49.77

28.86%

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

$51.7K ISK 6.3M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

94.46%

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

$54.7K ISK 6.7M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

102.27%

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

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

$102 ฿3,420

-14.63%

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

$33.19 ISK 4,043

$11.33 ฿378

192.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 ISK 10.3K

$17.40 ฿581

387.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.0 ISK 9,620

$52.1 ฿1,738

51.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$19.65 ISK 2,393

$7.69 ฿257

155.53%

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

$415 ISK 50.5K

$561 ฿18.7K

-26.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K ISK 3.8M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

168.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$158 ISK 19.3K

$63.0 ฿2,104

151.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 ISK 8,042

$29.52 ฿986

123.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 ISK 21.5K

$98.0 ฿3,272

80.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 ISK 23.2K

$88.5 ฿2,954

115.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 ISK 228.3K

$738 ฿24.6K

153.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 ISK 163.2K

$482 ฿16.1K

177.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 ISK 304.7K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

18.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ISK 255.3K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

70.98%

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)

$3,786 ISK 461.1K

$494 ฿16.5K

667.02%

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 Keflavik: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,875 in Keflavik and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 667% 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: $137 in Keflavik vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $569 vs $274 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

Keflavik vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 149% lower than in Keflavik. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 667% higher in Keflavik, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,875 in Keflavik versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 242% less than in Keflavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $415 in Keflavik versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,069 in Keflavik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Keflavik. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Keflavik 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.