Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Akureyri Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Akureyri

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $3,040 in Akureyri, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $4,128 in Akureyri, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $5,217 in Akureyri, rent included.

Phuket is about 59% cheaper than Akureyri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Akureyri is 122% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$24.77 ISK 3,017

-82.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$130 ISK 15.8K

-75.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$22.81 ISK 2,779

-60.85%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.92 ISK 599

-41.06%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$3.41 ISK 416

-74.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$3.02 ISK 368

-84.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$11.32 ISK 1,379

-79.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$9.57 ISK 1,165

-61.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.87 ISK 350

-34.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.41 ISK 293

-39.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.20 ISK 389

-51.56%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$7.80 ISK 950

-73.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$15.74 ISK 1,917

24.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$24.51 ISK 2,985

-86.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.93 ISK 357

-42.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.49 ISK 425

-36.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$6.26 ISK 763

-65.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$13.53 ISK 1,648

-68.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.64 ISK 322

-43.56%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$41.4K ISK 5.0M

-35.83%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$65.2K ISK 7.9M

-58.55%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$125 ISK 15.2K

-17.71%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$25.76 ISK 3,137

-56.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$166 ISK 20.2K

-89.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$86.9 ISK 10.6K

-40.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$15.40 ISK 1,876

-50.06%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$367 ISK 44.7K

52.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$82.7 ISK 10.1K

-23.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$125 ISK 15.2K

-21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,786 ISK 217.5K

-58.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,846 ISK 224.8K

-73.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$2,182 ISK 265.7K

-43.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$6,717 ISK 818.1K

-46.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$6,544 ISK 797.0K

-60.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.4

-40.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Akureyri: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $1,786 in Akureyri. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $130 in Akureyri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $329 – 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

Phuket vs Akureyri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 147%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $4,560 in Akureyri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $130 in Akureyri. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Akureyri, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Akureyri at $3,040. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Akureyri makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.