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: $2,826 in Keflavik versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,368 in Keflavik versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,910 in Keflavik versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Keflavik is roughly 124% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Keflavik is 110% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.41 ISK 3,039

$4.56 ฿149

435.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.2K

$46.63 ฿1,519

214.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.33 ISK 2,531

$8.47 ฿276

140.02%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ISK 491

$3.03 ฿98.6

30.03%

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

$3.13 ISK 390

$0.69 ฿22.45

353.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ISK 314

$0.37 ฿11.92

583.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 ISK 1,011

$2.49 ฿81.0

226.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 ISK 1,024

$3.66 ฿119

124.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 241

$2.18 ฿71.0

-11.47%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 ISK 517

$1.90 ฿62.0

118.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 293

$2.20 ฿71.6

6.82%

Eggs

$6.18 ISK 769

$2.22 ฿72.4

178.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.22 ISK 2,268

$19.99 ฿651

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.63 ISK 2,942

$3.66 ฿119

545.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.19 ISK 5,377

$13.25 ฿432

225.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 ISK 293

$3.23 ฿105

-26.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 ISK 303

$1.70 ฿55.3

42.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ISK 298

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ISK 503

$2.08 ฿67.7

94.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 378

$1.59 ฿51.8

91.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ISK 254

$1.48 ฿48.31

37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 ISK 391

$1.03 ฿33.54

204.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ISK 243

$0.52 ฿16.83

275.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 ISK 1,685

$4.25 ฿138

218.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 ISK 1,970

$18.79 ฿612

-15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.75 ISK 466

$1.76 ฿57.2

113.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ISK 341

$2.76 ฿89.8

-0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 ISK 444

$1.36 ฿44.32

162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 ISK 9,355

$11.36 ฿370

561.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ISK 804

$3.14 ฿102

105.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 ISK 286

$1.04 ฿33.74

121.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.4 ISK 10.6K

$13.77 ฿448

520.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 ISK 308

$1.34 ฿43.79

84.33%

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

$47.1K ISK 5.9M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

70.35%

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

$52.8K ISK 6.6M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

55.81%

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

$86.3 ISK 10.7K

$124 ฿4,025

-30.16%

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

$27.46 ISK 3,418

$13.52 ฿440

103.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

$18.69 ฿609

359.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$17.45 ISK 2,173

$9.14 ฿298

90.92%

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

$318 ISK 39.5K

$703 ฿22.9K

-54.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ISK 3.8M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

90.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.4K

$59.5 ฿1,937

134.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 ISK 7,790

$35.07 ฿1,142

78.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ISK 23.1K

$115 ฿3,754

60.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ISK 22.9K

$84.1 ฿2,737

118.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ISK 233.6K

$619 ฿20.1K

203.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 ISK 167.3K

$433 ฿14.1K

210.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 ISK 308.2K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

20.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 ISK 254.2K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

35.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ISK 454.4K

$507 ฿16.5K

619.94%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,877 in Keflavik and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 620% 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 $559 vs $293 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 124% 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 620% 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: $1,877 in Keflavik versus $619 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 561% less than in Keflavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $318 in Keflavik versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,826 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 $1,261 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 124% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.