Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Akranes and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $3,755 in Akranes, rent and utilities included – about $25,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

181

Cost of Living Index in Akranes
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Akranes Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Akranes

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,755

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Akranes and in Budapest

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,755 in Akranes versus $1,619 in Budapest.

Akranes $3,755
Budapest $1,619

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,928 in Akranes versus $2,524 in Budapest.

Akranes $5,928
Budapest $2,524

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,101 in Akranes versus $3,429 in Budapest.

Akranes $8,101
Budapest $3,429

Living in Akranes is roughly 132% more expensive than in Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Akranes 178% above, Budapest 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.83 ISK 3,740

$13.94 Ft 4,503

121.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 ISK 15.0K

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

102.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$27.33 ISK 3,315

$10.19 Ft 3,291

168.20%

Cappuccino

$6.00 ISK 728

$3.26 Ft 1,055

84.05%

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

$3.15 ISK 383

$2.14 Ft 690

47.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ISK 301

$1.78 Ft 577

39.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.82 ISK 1,313

$3.71 Ft 1,198

191.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 ISK 1,008

$3.77 Ft 1,217

120.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ISK 256

$1.15 Ft 371

83.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 ISK 243

$1.79 Ft 578

11.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 ISK 450

$2.49 Ft 804

49.00%

Eggs

$6.05 ISK 734

$3.90 Ft 1,261

55.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.76 ISK 2,518

$11.10 Ft 3,587

87.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.98 ISK 2,909

$6.62 Ft 2,139

262.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.92 ISK 5,085

$14.69 Ft 4,745

185.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ISK 396

$1.83 Ft 591

78.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 ISK 342

$2.05 Ft 661

37.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 ISK 379

$2.37 Ft 765

31.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 ISK 580

$3.90 Ft 1,260

22.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 ISK 463

$0.99 Ft 320

284.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 ISK 200

$1.00 Ft 322

65.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.69 ISK 448

$1.58 Ft 511

133.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ISK 224

$0.67 Ft 216

174.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.83 ISK 1,678

$7.96 Ft 2,572

73.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.02 ISK 2,913

$6.22 Ft 2,009

286.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ISK 353

$1.27 Ft 411

129.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ISK 253

$2.03 Ft 654

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.71 ISK 450

$1.52 Ft 490

144.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 ISK 8,931

$28.02 Ft 9,053

162.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 ISK 812

$3.31 Ft 1,070

102.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ISK 145

$1.37 Ft 442

-12.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.0 ISK 9,704

$19.83 Ft 6,406

303.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 ISK 245

$1.82 Ft 589

10.99%

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

$49.8K ISK 6.0M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

67.07%

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

$52.8K ISK 6.4M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

56.30%

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

$94.6 ISK 11.5K

$171 Ft 55.3K

-44.72%

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

$32.27 ISK 3,914

$23.51 Ft 7,596

37.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 ISK 10.5K

$23.29 Ft 7,526

273.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 ISK 12.7K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

54.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$19.49 ISK 2,364

$9.30 Ft 3,004

109.57%

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

$1,197 ISK 145.2K

$533 Ft 172.3K

124.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K ISK 3.2M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

56.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 ISK 17.8K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

47.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 ISK 8,151

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

54.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.1K

$110 Ft 35.7K

65.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$253 ISK 30.7K

$119 Ft 38.4K

112.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,026 ISK 367.0K

$830 Ft 268.3K

264.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 ISK 234.6K

$622 Ft 200.9K

211.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,979 ISK 603.9K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

212.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 ISK 455.9K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

221.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,792 ISK 702.5K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

250.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

6.45

36.59%

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

Last update for Akranes: October 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Akranes

$1.9K 51.5%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 67.8% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Akranes

$576 15.3%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 55.2% $318

Eating Out

Akranes

$494 13.2%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 54.9% $271

Clothing & Footwear

Akranes

$292 7.8%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 42.7% $125

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Akranes

$214 5.7%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 1.9% $4.1

Sport & Entertainment

Akranes

$143 3.8%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 39.9% $57

Getting Around

Akranes

$101 2.7%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 56.3% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,026 in Akranes and $830 in Budapest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 251% 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: $124 in Akranes vs $61.0 in Budapest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $576 vs $258 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Akranes

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

02:32 2:32 AM

04:32 4:32 AM

2 h ahead of Akranes

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,800

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Akranes Budapest 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Akranes
Budapest

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

Akranes vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest wins on cost – living expenses run 132% lower than in Akranes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Budapest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 251% higher in Akranes, 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: $3,026 in Akranes versus $830 in Budapest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,755 per month in Akranes versus $1,619 in Budapest – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Budapest runs roughly 163% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,619 in Budapest versus $3,755 in Akranes, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Akranes. The gap between the two cities makes Budapest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Budapest delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budapest hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Akranes and Budapest 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 Budapest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.