Cost of Living Comparison Between Akranes and Swindon Cost of Living Comparison Between Akranes and Swindon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,460 in Akranes versus $2,249 in Swindon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,533 in Akranes versus $3,321 in Swindon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,607 in Akranes versus $4,394 in Swindon.

Living in Akranes is roughly 54% more expensive than Swindon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Akranes 158% above, Swindon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.18 ISK 3,327

$20.53 £15.21

32.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 ISK 17.4K

$81.9 £60.7

74.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.65 ISK 2,773

$9.34 £6.92

142.51%

Cappuccino

$6.17 ISK 756

$4.08 £3.02

51.23%

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

$3.20 ISK 391

$1.86 £1.38

72.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ISK 286

$1.44 £1.07

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.27 ISK 1,257

$5.10 £3.78

101.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 ISK 956

$4.83 £3.58

61.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ISK 230

$1.37 £1.02

37.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ISK 241

$1.31 £0.97

50.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 ISK 458

$1.52 £1.13

146.05%

Eggs

$6.12 ISK 749

$3.65 £2.70

67.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.09 ISK 2,215

$8.76 £6.49

106.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.39 ISK 2,986

$8.00 £5.93

204.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.40 ISK 5,190

$12.93 £9.58

227.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ISK 409

$2.95 £2.18

13.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ISK 311

$1.56 £1.15

62.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 ISK 362

$2.80 £2.08

5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 ISK 576

$3.40 £2.52

38.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 ISK 448

$1.44 £1.07

154.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 ISK 294

$1.78 £1.32

34.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 ISK 372

$0.93 £0.69

226.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 236

$1.73 £1.28

11.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.69 ISK 1,676

$21.44 £15.89

-36.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.96 ISK 2,811

$12.22 £9.06

87.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 ISK 334

$3.15 £2.34

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ISK 249

$3.43 £2.54

-40.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 ISK 437

$3.22 £2.39

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 ISK 9,006

$92.8 £68.8

-20.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 ISK 770

$6.21 £4.60

1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ISK 129

$1.54 £1.14

-31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.7 ISK 10.7K

$15.17 £11.24

478.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ISK 309

$1.94 £1.44

29.90%

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

$47.3K ISK 5.8M

$37.7K £27.9K

25.51%

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

$52.5K ISK 6.4M

$40.4K £29.9K

29.95%

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

$86.4 ISK 10.6K

$221 £164

-60.88%

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

$27.48 ISK 3,364

$16.34 £12.11

68.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 ISK 10.3K

$43.40 £32.16

94.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.92 £25.87

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.49 £17.40

Cinema Ticket

$17.46 ISK 2,137

$13.40 £9.93

30.30%

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

$315 ISK 38.6K

$1,225 £907

-74.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.7K ISK 3.8M

$5,539 £4,105

453.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 ISK 16.8K

$58.7 £43.50

133.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 ISK 7,581

$39.59 £29.34

56.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.2K

$86.9 £64.4

108.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$264 ISK 32.3K

$97.2 £72.0

171.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,003 ISK 367.6K

$1,215 £901

147.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 ISK 227.7K

$1,120 £830

66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,806 ISK 588.3K

$1,954 £1,448

145.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,560 ISK 435.9K

$1,759 £1,304

102.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 £2,039

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,142 £2,328

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,765 ISK 705.7K

$3,071 £2,275

87.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

5.53

74.14%

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

Last update for Akranes: April 22, 2026

Last update for Swindon: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,003 in Akranes and $1,215 in Swindon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 88% 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: $143 in Akranes vs $82 in Swindon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $563 vs $284 per month, with Swindon cheaper across the board.

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 Swindon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swindon wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Akranes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Swindon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Akranes pays 88% more on average, 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: $3,003 in Akranes versus $1,215 in Swindon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,460 per month in Akranes versus $2,249 in Swindon – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Swindon runs roughly 26% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,249 in Swindon versus $3,460 in Akranes, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Swindon but tight or insufficient in Akranes. The gap between the two cities makes Swindon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Akranes and Swindon 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 Swindon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.