Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,869 in Reykjavik versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,475 in Reykjavik versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,081 in Reykjavik versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Reykjavik is roughly 209% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Reykjavik is 190% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.43 ISK 3,418

$4.55 ฿153

502.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 ISK 17.7K

$46.18 ฿1,554

207.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.54 ISK 2,809

$8.84 ฿298

154.98%

Cappuccino

$6.05 ISK 754

$3.06 ฿103

97.71%

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

$3.22 ISK 402

$0.73 ฿24.42

341.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ISK 314

$0.40 ฿13.40

530.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.93 ISK 1,611

$2.43 ฿81.8

432.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.39 ISK 1,420

$3.78 ฿127

201.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ISK 235

$2.26 ฿76.0

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 ISK 522

$1.81 ฿60.9

131.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 ISK 441

$2.25 ฿75.8

57.33%

Eggs

$6.31 ISK 786

$2.25 ฿75.6

180.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 ISK 2,243

$19.51 ฿656

-7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.46 ISK 3,048

$3.65 ฿123

570.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.94 ISK 5,226

$13.05 ฿439

221.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ISK 415

$3.23 ฿109

3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 ISK 300

$1.62 ฿54.4

48.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ISK 377

$2.38 ฿80.2

27.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 ISK 639

$2.03 ฿68.2

152.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 ISK 455

$1.53 ฿51.6

139.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 302

$1.50 ฿50.5

61.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 ISK 394

$0.98 ฿32.93

223.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 241

$0.52 ฿17.40

271.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.76 ISK 1,714

$4.44 ฿149

209.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.67 ISK 2,825

$18.32 ฿616

23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.75 ISK 467

$1.86 ฿62.7

101.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ISK 406

$2.68 ฿90.2

21.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.30 ISK 661

$1.41 ฿47.49

275.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 ISK 11.0K

$11.70 ฿394

654.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 ISK 811

$3.11 ฿105

109.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 ISK 321

$1.04 ฿35.08

147.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.4 ISK 10.8K

$14.11 ฿475

512.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ISK 314

$1.31 ฿44.13

92.37%

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

$47.7K ISK 5.9M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

71.62%

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

$51.8K ISK 6.5M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

56.09%

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

$87.1 ISK 10.9K

$122 ฿4,120

-28.86%

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

$27.13 ISK 3,380

$13.59 ฿457

99.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 ISK 10.6K

$18.70 ฿629

356.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.0 ISK 10.5K

$60.5 ฿2,035

38.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.12 ISK 4,750

$16.98 ฿572

124.50%

Cinema Ticket

$17.35 ISK 2,162

$9.07 ฿305

91.29%

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

$319 ISK 39.8K

$706 ฿23.8K

-54.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.7K ISK 3.8M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

94.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 ISK 17.1K

$58.6 ฿1,970

134.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 ISK 7,821

$35.36 ฿1,190

77.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.7K

$115 ฿3,885

57.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$269 ISK 33.5K

$83.7 ฿2,818

221.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 ISK 280.8K

$626 ฿21.1K

260.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 ISK 250.2K

$445 ฿15.0K

351.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,231 ISK 402.6K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 ISK 343.4K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

84.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,955 ISK 991.2K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

128.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,156 ISK 767.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

138.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,438 ISK 553.0K

$500 ฿16.8K

787.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

5.33

80.68%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,254 in Reykjavik and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Reykjavik pays 788% 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: $142 in Reykjavik vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $593 vs $289 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

Reykjavik vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 209% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 788% higher in Reykjavik, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,254 in Reykjavik versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $319 in Reykjavik versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Reykjavik. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,869 in Reykjavik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Reykjavik. 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 Reykjavik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Reykjavik and Phuket 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 209% less than in Reykjavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.