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: $2,873 in Keflavik versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,433 in Keflavik versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,992 in Keflavik versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Keflavik is roughly 133% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Keflavik is 115% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.97 ISK 2,936

$4.63 ฿151

417.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.0K

$46.84 ฿1,523

214.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.75 ISK 2,419

$8.84 ฿287

123.42%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ISK 504

$3.00 ฿97.4

37.00%

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

$3.12 ISK 382

$0.74 ฿24.11

321.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ISK 307

$0.37 ฿11.88

575.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 ISK 999

$2.44 ฿79.3

234.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 ISK 999

$3.61 ฿117

126.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ISK 240

$2.26 ฿73.5

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 ISK 508

$1.84 ฿59.8

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 303

$2.24 ฿73.0

10.71%

Eggs

$6.35 ISK 778

$2.32 ฿75.3

173.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.44 ISK 2,259

$19.67 ฿639

-6.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.91 ISK 2,929

$3.65 ฿119

555.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.20 ISK 5,168

$13.10 ฿426

222.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 287

$3.39 ฿110

-30.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 304

$1.64 ฿53.4

51.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 ISK 298

$2.41 ฿78.5

0.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ISK 483

$2.03 ฿66.0

94.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 393

$1.56 ฿50.6

105.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 ISK 248

$1.50 ฿48.66

35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 ISK 377

$1.02 ฿33.30

201.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ISK 238

$0.49 ฿15.91

295.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.45 ISK 1,647

$4.45 ฿145

202.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 ISK 1,974

$18.88 ฿614

-14.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 ISK 454

$1.78 ฿57.7

108.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ISK 343

$2.75 ฿89.5

1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 ISK 432

$1.40 ฿45.54

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 ISK 9,166

$11.48 ฿373

551.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ISK 765

$3.12 ฿101

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 ISK 281

$1.00 ฿32.48

130.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.2 ISK 10.4K

$14.09 ฿458

504.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 ISK 313

$1.35 ฿43.93

89.63%

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

$47.2K ISK 5.8M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

73.63%

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

$52.6K ISK 6.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

59.64%

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

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

$125 ฿4,063

-29.96%

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

$27.94 ISK 3,422

$13.57 ฿441

105.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 ISK 10.6K

$18.52 ฿602

365.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$17.88 ISK 2,190

$9.19 ฿299

94.56%

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

$319 ISK 39.1K

$698 ฿22.7K

-54.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

94.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 ISK 16.7K

$57.8 ฿1,878

136.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 ISK 7,515

$35.24 ฿1,146

74.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ISK 21.9K

$113 ฿3,677

57.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 ISK 22.9K

$86.4 ฿2,808

116.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 ISK 223.6K

$616 ฿20.0K

196.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 ISK 163.1K

$446 ฿14.5K

198.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 ISK 303.9K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

21.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 ISK 246.0K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

34.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,701 ISK 453.3K

$524 ฿17.0K

606.61%

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 Keflavik: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Keflavik and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 607% 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: $147 in Keflavik vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 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

Keflavik vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 133% 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.

Keflavik pays 607% more on average, 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: $1,826 in Keflavik versus $616 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 552% less than in Keflavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $319 in Keflavik versus $698 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 $2,873 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 133% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.