Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Phuket

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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Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Selfoss and in Phuket

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

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

Selfoss $3,460
Phuket $1,190

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

Selfoss $2,461
Phuket $2,006

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

Selfoss $1,462
Phuket $2,822

Living in Selfoss is roughly 191% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.81 ISK 2,538

$8.42 ฿282

147.15%

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)

$12.20 ISK 1,488

$2.59 ฿86.6

371.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ISK 219

$1.71 ฿57.2

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$7.61 ISK 928

$1.45 ฿48.42

424.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 ISK 544

$1.56 ฿52.3

185.90%

Eggs

$6.56 ISK 800

$2.10 ฿70.3

212.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 ISK 2,103

$19.53 ฿654

-11.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.77 ISK 2,655

$3.40 ฿114

540.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.50 ISK 4,085

$11.14 ฿373

200.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ISK 332

$2.83 ฿94.8

-3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ISK 335

$1.62 ฿54.3

69.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 ISK 324

$2.22 ฿74.5

19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.51 ISK 916

$2.15 ฿71.9

249.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 391

$1.49 ฿49.95

115.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 266

$1.33 ฿44.40

63.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 ISK 439

$1.07 ฿35.72

236.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ISK 175

$0.51 ฿17.01

182.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.97 ISK 1,947

$4.38 ฿147

264.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ISK 143

$2.78 ฿92.9

-57.91%

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)

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

$458 ฿15.3K

515.72%

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 Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

06:42 6:42 AM

13:42 1:42 PM

7 h ahead of Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

79,308

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

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).

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).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Selfoss Phuket 10,580 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Selfoss
Phuket

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

Selfoss vs Phuket: 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 $5,190 in Selfoss and $1,785 in Phuket 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 $3,460 per month in Selfoss versus $1,190 in Phuket – 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, Selfoss 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 191% less than in Selfoss. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.