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: $3,883 in Reykjavik versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,535 in Reykjavik versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,188 in Reykjavik versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Reykjavik is roughly 207% more expensive than 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

$27.17 ISK 3,346

$4.70 ฿154

478.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 ISK 17.7K

$45.37 ฿1,483

216.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.42 ISK 2,761

$8.43 ฿276

165.95%

Cappuccino

$6.19 ISK 763

$2.93 ฿95.7

111.26%

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

$3.28 ISK 405

$0.69 ฿22.42

375.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ISK 311

$0.37 ฿12.00

583.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.11 ISK 1,615

$2.41 ฿78.7

443.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.43 ISK 1,408

$3.72 ฿122

207.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ISK 239

$2.23 ฿73.0

-13.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.29 ISK 528

$1.83 ฿59.9

134.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 ISK 458

$2.17 ฿70.9

71.43%

Eggs

$6.53 ISK 804

$2.21 ฿72.4

195.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 ISK 2,202

$19.74 ฿645

-9.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.10 ISK 2,968

$3.63 ฿119

563.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.88 ISK 5,281

$13.53 ฿442

216.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 412

$3.28 ฿107

2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ISK 309

$1.61 ฿52.7

55.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ISK 385

$2.41 ฿78.7

29.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 ISK 602

$2.08 ฿68.1

135.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ISK 457

$1.53 ฿49.97

142.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 ISK 285

$1.48 ฿48.41

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 ISK 378

$0.99 ฿32.32

210.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ISK 246

$0.51 ฿16.68

290.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 ISK 1,705

$4.41 ฿144

214.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.47 ISK 2,891

$19.38 ฿634

21.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 ISK 446

$1.78 ฿58.1

103.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ISK 416

$2.71 ฿88.7

24.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.10 ISK 628

$1.37 ฿44.83

272.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 ISK 10.5K

$11.39 ฿372

649.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 ISK 773

$3.02 ฿98.7

107.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 ISK 317

$0.99 ฿32.51

159.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 ISK 10.6K

$14.10 ฿461

508.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ISK 310

$1.36 ฿44.55

85.29%

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

$47.2K ISK 5.8M

$28.2K ฿921.9K

67.28%

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

$51.8K ISK 6.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

57.49%

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

$86.9 ISK 10.7K

$122 ฿3,978

-28.64%

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

$26.94 ISK 3,317

$13.57 ฿444

98.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 ISK 10.6K

$18.31 ฿599

369.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.4 ISK 10.3K

$60.2 ฿1,969

38.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.54 ISK 4,623

$17.14 ฿560

119.02%

Cinema Ticket

$17.53 ISK 2,159

$8.69 ฿284

101.73%

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

$321 ISK 39.5K

$693 ฿22.7K

-53.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ISK 3.7M

$15.7K ฿512.8K

92.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.2K

$59.5 ฿1,946

134.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 ISK 7,456

$34.77 ฿1,137

74.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.3K

$115 ฿3,746

57.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$263 ISK 32.4K

$83.3 ฿2,723

216.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,175 ISK 267.8K

$613 ฿20.0K

254.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 ISK 249.2K

$437 ฿14.3K

362.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,139 ISK 386.6K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

49.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 ISK 337.1K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

81.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,022 ISK 987.9K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

113.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,223 ISK 766.3K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

137.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,441 ISK 546.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

774.02%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,175 in Reykjavik and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Reykjavik pays 774% 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: $144 in Reykjavik vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $599 vs $293 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 207% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Reykjavik pays 774% more on average, 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: $2,175 in Reykjavik versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Reykjavik versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Reykjavik. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,883 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 207% less than in Reykjavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.