Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Selfoss

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,190 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $27,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Selfoss

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 Selfoss actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $3,460 in Selfoss.

Phuket $1,190
Selfoss $3,460

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $2,461 in Selfoss.

Phuket $2,006
Selfoss $2,461

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $1,462 in Selfoss.

Phuket $2,822
Selfoss $1,462

Living in Phuket costs roughly 66% less than in Selfoss, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Selfoss is 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿282

$20.81 ISK 2,538

-59.54%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.0

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

$0.87 ฿29.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$12.20 ISK 1,488

-78.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.2

$1.79 ISK 219

-4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$7.61 ISK 928

-80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$4.46 ISK 544

-65.02%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

$6.56 ISK 800

-67.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿654

$17.24 ISK 2,103

13.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$21.77 ISK 2,655

-84.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿373

$33.50 ISK 4,085

-66.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿94.8

$2.72 ISK 332

4.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$2.75 ISK 335

-41.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.5

$2.65 ISK 324

-16.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿71.9

$7.51 ISK 916

-71.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.95

$3.21 ISK 391

-53.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.40

$2.18 ISK 266

-38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.72

$3.60 ISK 439

-70.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.01

$1.44 ISK 175

-64.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$15.97 ISK 1,947

-72.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.17 ISK 143

137.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿746

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.88

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

$26.3K ฿882.1K

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

$26.2K ฿877.3K

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

$96.7 ฿3,236

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

$11.41 ฿382

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,768

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

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

$555 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿377.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,123

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,238

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,967

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.3K

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

-83.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Selfoss

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Selfoss

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Selfoss

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Selfoss

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Selfoss

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Selfoss

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Selfoss

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🕒 Local time

15:30 3:30 PM

08:30 8:30 AM

7 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

9,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Selfoss 10,580 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Selfoss

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 Selfoss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and eating out. The 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $5,190 in Selfoss 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Selfoss. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,190 per month in Phuket versus $3,460 in Selfoss – a 191% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,190 in Phuket versus $3,460 in Selfoss, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Selfoss. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Selfoss, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Selfoss 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 191% less than in Selfoss. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.