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: $2,853 in Keflavik versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,401 in Keflavik versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,949 in Keflavik versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Keflavik is roughly 126% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Keflavik is 114% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.97 ISK 2,962

$4.48 ฿150

435.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 ISK 17.7K

$45.59 ฿1,521

213.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.29 ISK 2,508

$8.76 ฿292

131.62%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ISK 488

$2.97 ฿99.0

33.00%

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

$3.18 ISK 393

$0.69 ฿22.90

360.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ISK 312

$0.39 ฿13.04

546.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 ISK 983

$2.53 ฿84.4

214.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 ISK 1,011

$3.75 ฿125

118.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ISK 231

$2.15 ฿71.6

-13.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 ISK 517

$1.82 ฿60.6

129.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ISK 293

$2.18 ฿72.9

8.72%

Eggs

$6.43 ISK 795

$2.25 ฿75.0

185.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.22 ISK 2,252

$20.00 ฿667

-8.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.11 ISK 2,980

$3.63 ฿121

564.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.82 ISK 5,292

$13.56 ฿452

215.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 291

$3.24 ฿108

-27.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 302

$1.64 ฿54.6

48.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ISK 291

$2.33 ฿77.8

1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 ISK 494

$2.07 ฿69.1

93.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 ISK 378

$1.55 ฿51.6

97.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 ISK 249

$1.46 ฿48.54

37.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 ISK 392

$0.98 ฿32.86

223.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 239

$0.48 ฿16.09

302.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.80 ISK 1,706

$4.35 ฿145

217.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 ISK 1,965

$18.57 ฿620

-14.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 ISK 462

$1.86 ฿61.9

101.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ISK 349

$2.65 ฿88.6

6.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 ISK 454

$1.42 ฿47.28

158.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 ISK 9,183

$11.57 ฿386

542.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 ISK 787

$3.17 ฿106

100.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 ISK 279

$1.03 ฿34.41

119.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.4 ISK 10.7K

$13.89 ฿463

521.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 ISK 300

$1.34 ฿44.84

81.34%

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

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

70.97%

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

$52.0K ISK 6.4M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

55.77%

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

$86.6 ISK 10.7K

$123 ฿4,105

-29.66%

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

$27.84 ISK 3,441

$13.77 ฿459

102.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 ISK 10.7K

$18.33 ฿611

370.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$17.61 ISK 2,177

$8.87 ฿296

98.53%

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

$318 ISK 39.3K

$688 ฿22.9K

-53.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K ISK 3.7M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

88.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 ISK 17.4K

$59.3 ฿1,978

137.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 ISK 7,766

$34.69 ฿1,157

81.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 ISK 22.3K

$115 ฿3,843

56.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 ISK 23.2K

$83.8 ฿2,794

124.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 ISK 226.0K

$621 ฿20.7K

194.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 ISK 166.8K

$446 ฿14.9K

202.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 ISK 301.8K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

20.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 ISK 248.1K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

34.14%

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)

$3,712 ISK 458.9K

$494 ฿16.5K

652.09%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,829 in Keflavik and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 652% 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: $143 in Keflavik vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 vs $291 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 126% 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 652% 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: $1,829 in Keflavik versus $621 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 542% 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 $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,853 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 $1,264 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 126% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.