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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,992 per month in Aarau vs $3,849 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,743 per month in Aarau vs $5,457 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,494 per month in Aarau vs $7,065 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 125%, Reykjavik by 189%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.96 CHF 24.37

$26.85 ISK 3,340

11.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 88.6

$142 ISK 17.7K

-23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.11 CHF 15.54

$22.18 ISK 2,759

-13.84%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$6.17 ISK 768

2.43%

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

$3.44 CHF 2.80

$3.24 ISK 403

6.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 CHF 3.90

$2.62 ISK 326

82.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 CHF 6.53

$12.69 ISK 1,579

-36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 CHF 6.12

$11.39 ISK 1,417

-33.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.70

$1.87 ISK 232

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.72

$4.30 ISK 535

-22.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$3.56 ISK 443

-28.65%

Eggs

$7.00 CHF 5.70

$6.28 ISK 782

11.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.56 CHF 24.05

$18.25 ISK 2,270

61.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.28 CHF 29.51

$23.69 ISK 2,947

53.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.45 CHF 35.35

$42.14 ISK 5,242

3.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.34

$3.33 ISK 415

-13.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$2.41 ISK 299

-10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.32

$3.00 ISK 373

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 CHF 4.61

$5.12 ISK 637

10.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$3.58 ISK 445

-35.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.70

$2.36 ISK 294

-11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.10

$3.14 ISK 390

-17.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CHF 1.18

$2.03 ISK 252

-28.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 CHF 8.35

$13.89 ISK 1,728

-26.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 CHF 8.34

$23.38 ISK 2,909

-56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$3.58 ISK 445

-37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$3.21 ISK 400

-31.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 CHF 3.45

$5.09 ISK 633

-16.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$146 CHF 119

$86.7 ISK 10.8K

68.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 CHF 7.07

$6.37 ISK 792

36.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.46 CHF 4.44

$2.56 ISK 318

113.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.1 CHF 71.6

$86.9 ISK 10.8K

1.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.45 ISK 305

-9.80%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

$48.1K ISK 6.0M

-17.17%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.2K

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

-19.94%

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

$248 CHF 201

$87.4 ISK 10.9K

183.49%

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

$42.84 CHF 34.85

$27.40 ISK 3,408

56.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 47.53

$86.5 ISK 10.8K

-32.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 CHF 54.4

$83.6 ISK 10.4K

-19.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.17 CHF 33.49

$37.79 ISK 4,701

8.94%

Cinema Ticket

$23.13 CHF 18.82

$17.41 ISK 2,166

32.85%

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

$3,170 CHF 2,579

$322 ISK 40.1K

884.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K CHF 20.5K

$30.1K ISK 3.7M

-16.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.2 CHF 75.0

$137 ISK 17.0K

-32.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 CHF 44.41

$61.0 ISK 7,584

-10.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 CHF 91.2

$181 ISK 22.6K

-38.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 141

$271 ISK 33.7K

-36.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 CHF 1,041

$2,228 ISK 277.1K

-42.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 CHF 835

$2,035 ISK 253.1K

-49.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 CHF 1,977

$3,171 ISK 394.5K

-23.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 CHF 1,692

$2,699 ISK 335.7K

-22.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,381

$7,931 ISK 986.5K

29.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,781

$6,333 ISK 787.8K

89.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,998 CHF 5,692

$4,563 ISK 567.6K

53.35%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,280 in Aarau versus $2,228 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 53% 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 $109 in Aarau versus $142 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $635 in Aarau vs $593 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 29% 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 $4,488 per month in Aarau and $5,774 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 68% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,170 per month in Aarau and $322 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 $2,992 in Aarau and $3,849 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 $2,992 versus $3,849 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.