Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Drangsnes Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Drangsnes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,587 in Drangsnes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $2,836 in Drangsnes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $4,085 in Drangsnes.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 23% less than in Drangsnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Drangsnes is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$27.14 ISK 3,372

-83.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$143 ISK 17.8K

-67.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$22.90 ISK 2,845

-62.93%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$6.08 ISK 756

-49.34%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$3.36 ISK 417

-79.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$2.63 ISK 327

-86.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$12.62 ISK 1,568

-80.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$11.32 ISK 1,406

-67.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.86 ISK 231

17.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$4.21 ISK 523

-57.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$3.56 ISK 443

-37.36%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$6.43 ISK 798

-65.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$18.19 ISK 2,260

7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$24.03 ISK 2,985

-84.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$41.86 ISK 5,201

-67.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.31 ISK 411

1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$2.54 ISK 316

-36.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$3.04 ISK 377

-20.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$4.92 ISK 611

-59.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$3.72 ISK 462

-58.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$2.43 ISK 302

-40.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$3.03 ISK 377

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.99 ISK 247

-75.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$13.57 ISK 1,686

-68.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$23.68 ISK 2,942

-19.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$3.62 ISK 450

-49.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$3.27 ISK 406

-16.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$6.51 ISK 809

-53.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$2.56 ISK 318

-58.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$87.6 ISK 10.9K

-84.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$2.45 ISK 304

-47.35%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$47.4K ISK 5.9M

-40.92%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$51.8K ISK 6.4M

-35.36%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$88.6 ISK 11.0K

37.74%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$27.90 ISK 3,466

-50.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$84.0 ISK 10.4K

-77.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$17.62 ISK 2,189

-49.55%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$319 ISK 39.6K

116.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$30.0K ISK 3.7M

-46.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$137 ISK 17.1K

-57.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$61.9 ISK 7,690

-42.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$182 ISK 22.6K

-37.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$268 ISK 33.3K

-69.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$6,084 ISK 755.9K

-91.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.63

-44.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Drangsnes: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Drangsnes pays 1105% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $143 in Drangsnes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $593 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

Phuket vs Drangsnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Drangsnes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Drangsnes earns 1105% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $319 in Drangsnes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $143 in Drangsnes. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,587 in Drangsnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Drangsnes. 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 $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Drangsnes 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 30% less than in Drangsnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.