🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,621 in Grundarfjordur.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,790 in Grundarfjordur.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $3,960 in Grundarfjordur.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 24% less than in Grundarfjordur, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Grundarfjordur is 21% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$26.87ISK 3,290
-82.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$147ISK 18.0K
-68.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$22.88ISK 2,802
-61.36%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$6.23ISK 762
-51.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$3.33ISK 407
-77.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$2.63ISK 322
-85.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$12.87ISK 1,576
-81.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$11.19ISK 1,371
-67.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.87ISK 229
20.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$4.33ISK 530
-57.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$3.75ISK 459
-40.27%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$6.48ISK 793
-64.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$18.46ISK 2,260
6.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$23.76ISK 2,909
-84.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$42.81ISK 5,242
-69.40%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$3.33ISK 407
1.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.44ISK 299
-32.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$3.04ISK 372
-20.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$4.91ISK 601
-58.66%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$3.56ISK 436
-56.18%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.32ISK 284
-35.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$3.04ISK 373
-66.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$2.02ISK 247
-75.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$13.86ISK 1,697
-67.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$23.12ISK 2,831
-18.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$3.63ISK 444
-50.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.36ISK 412
-18.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$6.21ISK 761
-49.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.65ISK 325
-62.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$87.7ISK 10.7K
-83.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$2.45ISK 299
-44.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$46.4KISK 5.7M
-41.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$51.7KISK 6.3M
-36.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$86.3ISK 10.6K
44.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$27.70ISK 3,391
-51.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$85.5ISK 10.5K
-78.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$17.27ISK 2,115
-46.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$326ISK 39.9K
114.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$29.8KISK 3.7M
-47.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$136ISK 16.7K
-57.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$61.6ISK 7,545
-42.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$185ISK 22.6K
-38.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$264ISK 32.3K
-67.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,175ISK 143.8K
125.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Grundarfjordur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Grundarfjordur: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $147 in Grundarfjordur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $596 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 Grundarfjordur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Grundarfjordur?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Grundarfjordur. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Grundarfjordur?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $2,432 in Grundarfjordur to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Grundarfjordur?
Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Grundarfjordur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Grundarfjordur?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,621 in Grundarfjordur – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Grundarfjordur?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,621 in Grundarfjordur, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Grundarfjordur. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Grundarfjordur?
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.
How safe is Phuket compared to Grundarfjordur?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Grundarfjordur are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Grundarfjordur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.