🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,477 in Vestmanna.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,195 in Vestmanna.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,912 in Vestmanna.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 14% less than in Vestmanna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Vestmanna is 10% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
-
-
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
-
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$2.23FOK 14.34
-
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$3.86FOK 24.78
-52.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
-
-
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$4.44FOK 28.51
-50.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$18.44FOK 118
7.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$15.07FOK 96.7
-75.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$27.99FOK 180
-51.66%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$3.02FOK 19.41
8.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$2.36FOK 15.15
-31.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$3.15FOK 20.20
-23.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$3.01FOK 19.34
-30.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$2.36FOK 15.13
-35.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$3.05FOK 19.58
-51.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
-
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$4.59FOK 29.46
-88.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$10.14FOK 65.1
-56.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$3.90FOK 25.02
-30.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$11.06FOK 71.0
-72.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.43FOK 9.18
-4.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$39.6KFOK 254.5K
-28.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$50.0KFOK 321.1K
-34.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$152FOK 977
-20.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$62.5FOK 401
-3.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$17.25FOK 111
-49.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$282FOK 1,810
146.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$126FOK 809
-52.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$123FOK 791
-7.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$124FOK 795
-32.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$628FOK 4,033
-2.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$625FOK 4,013
-30.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$1,091FOK 7,005
91.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,081FOK 6,942
39.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Vestmanna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
2.99
78.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Vestmanna: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $628 in Vestmanna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
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 Vestmanna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vestmanna cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $2,216 in Vestmanna 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Vestmanna?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $628 in Vestmanna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Vestmanna?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Vestmanna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $282 in Vestmanna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Vestmanna?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,477 in Vestmanna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Vestmanna. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Vestmanna more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vestmanna, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Vestmanna?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Vestmanna 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Vestmanna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.