Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Reykjavik Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Reykjavik

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,981 per month in Aarau vs $3,824 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,813 per month in Aarau vs $5,556 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,645 per month in Aarau vs $7,289 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Aarau is about 22% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Aarau and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Aarau by 122%, Reykjavik by 184%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.41 CHF 23.35

$27.13 ISK 3,378

8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 86.0

$147 ISK 18.3K

-26.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.77 CHF 14.90

$22.15 ISK 2,757

-15.26%

Cappuccino

$6.54 CHF 5.20

$6.08 ISK 756

7.57%

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

$3.37 CHF 2.68

$3.24 ISK 404

4.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 CHF 3.95

$2.60 ISK 324

91.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 CHF 6.21

$13.07 ISK 1,627

-40.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.41 CHF 5.88

$11.14 ISK 1,387

-33.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$1.86 ISK 231

17.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 CHF 2.64

$4.34 ISK 541

-23.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.92

$3.63 ISK 451

-33.61%

Eggs

$6.86 CHF 5.45

$6.31 ISK 786

8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.60 CHF 23.50

$18.05 ISK 2,247

63.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.49 CHF 28.97

$24.02 ISK 2,990

51.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$45.02 CHF 35.74

$43.15 ISK 5,372

4.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.26

$3.26 ISK 406

-12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$2.45 ISK 304

-11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.27

$3.11 ISK 387

-8.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.66 CHF 4.49

$4.87 ISK 606

16.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$3.68 ISK 459

-36.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.57

$2.34 ISK 291

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.06

$3.04 ISK 379

-14.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CHF 1.19

$1.92 ISK 239

-21.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.33 CHF 8.20

$13.59 ISK 1,692

-23.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 CHF 8.62

$23.29 ISK 2,900

-53.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$3.71 ISK 462

-39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$3.30 ISK 411

-34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$5.08 ISK 633

-16.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 CHF 117

$88.4 ISK 11.0K

67.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 CHF 6.67

$6.30 ISK 784

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.55 CHF 4.40

$2.64 ISK 328

110.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 CHF 68.1

$86.7 ISK 10.8K

-1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.68

$2.48 ISK 308

-14.92%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.0K

$46.4K ISK 5.8M

-13.25%

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

$42.3K CHF 33.5K

$52.0K ISK 6.5M

-18.73%

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

$242 CHF 192

$89.0 ISK 11.1K

171.72%

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

$42.53 CHF 33.76

$27.11 ISK 3,376

56.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 46.33

$83.7 ISK 10.4K

-30.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 CHF 53.6

$83.2 ISK 10.4K

-18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.28 CHF 32.77

$37.19 ISK 4,630

11.00%

Cinema Ticket

$23.20 CHF 18.42

$17.41 ISK 2,167

33.26%

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

$3,187 CHF 2,530

$319 ISK 39.7K

898.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

$29.8K ISK 3.7M

-17.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 CHF 74.2

$138 ISK 17.1K

-32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CHF 42.18

$60.8 ISK 7,569

-12.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 CHF 88.5

$181 ISK 22.5K

-38.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 CHF 135

$269 ISK 33.5K

-37.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 CHF 1,045

$2,246 ISK 279.6K

-41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 CHF 823

$2,025 ISK 252.1K

-48.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 CHF 1,920

$3,220 ISK 400.9K

-24.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 CHF 1,643

$2,728 ISK 339.6K

-24.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.6K CHF 17.1K

$7,686 ISK 957.0K

180.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.1K CHF 13.6K

$6,267 ISK 780.3K

172.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,240 CHF 5,748

$4,442 ISK 553.0K

62.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

9.63

-74.04%

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

Last update for Aarau: June 6, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,316 in Aarau versus $2,246 in Reykjavik. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 63% higher in Aarau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Aarau versus $147 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $642 in Aarau vs $596 in Reykjavik – so Reykjavik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Aarau vs Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik costs about 28% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,471 per month in Aarau and $5,735 in Reykjavik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aarau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,187 per month in Aarau and $319 in Reykjavik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,981 in Aarau and $3,824 in Reykjavik. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aarau costs $2,981 versus $3,824 in Reykjavik. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aarau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reykjavik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.