Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Keflavik

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,992 in Keflavik, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Keflavik
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Keflavik Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Keflavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$2,992

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Keflavik

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Keflavik actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,992 in Keflavik.

Phuket $1,207
Keflavik $2,992

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $4,538 in Keflavik.

Phuket $2,037
Keflavik $4,538

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $6,084 in Keflavik.

Phuket $2,867
Keflavik $6,084

Living in Phuket costs roughly 60% less than in Keflavik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Keflavik is 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$24.71 ISK 2,997

-81.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$124 ISK 15.0K

-73.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$20.40 ISK 2,475

-58.09%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$4.06 ISK 493

-33.00%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$3.18 ISK 386

-70.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$3.19 ISK 387

-84.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$8.00 ISK 970

-67.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$8.34 ISK 1,012

-54.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$2.10 ISK 255

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$4.23 ISK 513

-66.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$2.53 ISK 307

-39.53%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$6.32 ISK 767

-65.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$19.06 ISK 2,311

0.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$24.38 ISK 2,958

-86.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$41.25 ISK 5,003

-72.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$2.48 ISK 301

18.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$2.51 ISK 304

-33.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$2.44 ISK 296

-5.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$4.01 ISK 486

-46.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$3.20 ISK 388

-52.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$1.70 ISK 206

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$3.84 ISK 465

-70.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.78 ISK 215

-69.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$13.97 ISK 1,695

-69.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$16.58 ISK 2,012

9.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$3.61 ISK 438

-51.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$2.94 ISK 356

-5.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$3.68 ISK 446

-39.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$77.6 ISK 9,407

-71.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$6.63 ISK 804

-56.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$2.58 ISK 312

-60.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$80.2 ISK 9,727

-95.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$2.10 ISK 255

-29.05%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$50.1K ISK 6.1M

-46.79%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$54.7K ISK 6.6M

-51.15%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$94.8 ISK 11.5K

4.82%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$33.29 ISK 4,038

-66.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$85.0 ISK 10.3K

-79.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$78.5 ISK 9,526

-33.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$19.48 ISK 2,363

-61.14%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

$407 ISK 49.3K

37.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$25.7K ISK 3.1M

-55.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$152 ISK 18.4K

-58.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$65.4 ISK 7,934

-56.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$182 ISK 22.0K

-47.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$191 ISK 23.1K

-53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$1,896 ISK 230.0K

-61.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$1,329 ISK 161.2K

-65.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$2,516 ISK 305.1K

-16.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$2,061 ISK 250.0K

-40.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$3,752 ISK 455.0K

-86.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.81

-36.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Keflavik: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Keflavik

$1.3K 44.4% 189% $869

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Keflavik

$566 18.9% 111% $298

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Keflavik

$213 7.1% 66.5% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Keflavik

$265 8.9% 114% $141

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Keflavik

$390 13% 221% $268

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Keflavik

$118 3.9% 74.3% $50

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Keflavik

$112 3.7% 187% $73

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $1,896 in Keflavik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 661% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $124 in Keflavik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $566 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇮🇸 Keflavik

🕒 Local time

09:39 9:39 AM

02:39 2:39 AM

7 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

15,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Keflavik 10,650 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Keflavik

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Keflavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 148% 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.

On paper, salaries run 661% lower in Keflavik. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $1,896 in Keflavik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 252% less than in Keflavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $407 in Keflavik. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,992 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 $1,207 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Keflavik 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 148% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.