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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,838 per month in Aarau vs $3,943 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,709 per month in Aarau vs $5,770 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,580 per month in Aarau vs $7,597 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Aarau is about 28% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Aarau and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Aarau by 106%, Reykjavik by 186%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.54 CHF 24.92

$30.43 ISK 3,666

0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 CHF 89.8

$135 ISK 16.3K

-18.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.17 CHF 14.83

$26.74 ISK 3,221

-32.05%

Cappuccino

$5.91 CHF 4.82

$7.01 ISK 845

-15.69%

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

$5.40 CHF 4.40

$3.30 ISK 397

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 CHF 3.96

$3.17 ISK 382

53.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 CHF 5.01

$14.35 ISK 1,728

-57.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 CHF 5.70

$12.34 ISK 1,487

-43.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.72

$2.07 ISK 249

1.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 3.09

$4.32 ISK 521

-12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.26

$3.52 ISK 424

-21.31%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.11

$7.12 ISK 858

5.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.56 CHF 25.76

$21.59 ISK 2,600

46.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.58 CHF 24.14

$25.15 ISK 3,030

17.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.82 CHF 34.13

$42.98 ISK 5,177

-2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.49

$3.53 ISK 425

-13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CHF 1.42

$2.87 ISK 346

-39.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.96

$3.31 ISK 399

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 CHF 4.85

$6.45 ISK 777

-7.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 CHF 1.43

$3.98 ISK 479

-55.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.71

$1.71 ISK 206

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$3.68 ISK 443

-38.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CHF 0.97

$1.84 ISK 221

-35.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CHF 9.10

$13.99 ISK 1,685

-20.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.35 CHF 8.45

$23.89 ISK 2,877

-56.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CHF 2.15

$3.88 ISK 468

-31.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$3.54 ISK 427

-14.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.25 CHF 4.29

$5.86 ISK 705

-10.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$150 CHF 123

$96.2 ISK 11.6K

56.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.03 CHF 5.74

$6.70 ISK 807

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 CHF 2.76

$2.91 ISK 350

16.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 CHF 50.1

$75.8 ISK 9,129

-19.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$2.05 ISK 247

8.29%

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

$44.5K CHF 36.3K

$51.5K ISK 6.2M

-13.52%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

$53.8K ISK 6.5M

-24.24%

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

$123 CHF 100

$88.2 ISK 10.6K

39.20%

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

$32.05 CHF 26.16

$33.57 ISK 4,044

-4.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 CHF 46.69

$86.2 ISK 10.4K

-33.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 CHF 82.3

$96.5 ISK 11.6K

4.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$62.0 CHF 50.6

$50.1 ISK 6,036

23.71%

Cinema Ticket

$22.26 CHF 18.16

$20.01 ISK 2,410

11.24%

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

$3,245 CHF 2,648

$1,172 ISK 141.1K

176.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K CHF 20.3K

$31.3K ISK 3.8M

-20.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.2 CHF 75.2

$159 ISK 19.2K

-42.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.2 CHF 59.7

$67.8 ISK 8,164

7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CHF 89.8

$178 ISK 21.5K

-38.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$175 CHF 143

$252 ISK 30.4K

-30.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 CHF 1,069

$2,489 ISK 299.8K

-47.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 CHF 865

$2,096 ISK 252.4K

-49.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,361 CHF 1,926

$3,429 ISK 413.1K

-31.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,170 CHF 1,771

$2,761 ISK 332.6K

-21.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K CHF 8,253

$8,179 ISK 985.2K

23.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.5K CHF 10.2K

$6,507 ISK 783.8K

92.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,171 CHF 5,852

$4,761 ISK 573.5K

50.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

8.88

-73.99%

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

Last update for Aarau: September 5, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,309 in Aarau versus $2,489 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 51% 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 $110 in Aarau versus $135 in Reykjavik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $606 vs $633 – making Aarau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 39% 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 $4,256 per month in Aarau and $5,915 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 56% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,245 per month in Aarau and $1,172 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 $2,838 in Aarau and $3,943 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 $2,838 versus $3,943 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.