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: $3,548 in Akranes versus $2,292 in Swindon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,681 in Akranes versus $3,376 in Swindon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,814 in Akranes versus $4,461 in Swindon.

Living in Akranes is roughly 55% more expensive than Swindon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Akranes 165% above, Swindon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.05 ISK 3,368

$20.60 £15.45

31.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 ISK 18.0K

$82.4 £61.8

75.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.71 ISK 2,827

$9.57 £7.17

137.30%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ISK 731

$4.06 £3.05

44.58%

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

$3.10 ISK 386

$1.92 £1.44

61.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ISK 304

$1.43 £1.07

70.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.53 ISK 1,310

$5.30 £3.98

98.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 ISK 1,018

$4.86 £3.65

68.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ISK 231

$1.41 £1.06

31.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 ISK 247

$1.38 £1.03

43.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 ISK 456

$1.60 £1.20

128.75%

Eggs

$5.86 ISK 729

$3.59 £2.69

63.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ISK 2,240

$8.33 £6.25

115.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.47 ISK 3,046

$7.92 £5.94

208.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.17 ISK 5,375

$12.80 £9.60

237.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 ISK 397

$3.06 £2.29

4.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 ISK 299

$1.51 £1.13

58.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 ISK 381

$2.81 £2.11

8.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 ISK 594

$3.35 £2.51

42.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ISK 436

$1.50 £1.12

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 301

$1.78 £1.33

35.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 ISK 397

$1.01 £0.76

215.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ISK 250

$1.73 £1.30

15.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.74 ISK 1,710

$21.05 £15.78

-34.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.30 ISK 2,900

$15.50 £11.62

50.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ISK 342

$3.14 £2.36

-12.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ISK 247

$3.50 £2.62

-43.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 ISK 464

$3.16 £2.37

18.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 ISK 9,180

$94.7 £71.0

-22.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 ISK 783

$6.22 £4.66

1.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ISK 130

$1.58 £1.19

-34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.0 ISK 10.6K

$14.90 £11.18

470.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ISK 314

$1.95 £1.46

29.23%

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

$46.5K ISK 5.8M

$38.9K £29.2K

19.46%

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

$53.2K ISK 6.6M

$40.8K £30.6K

30.44%

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

$87.4 ISK 10.9K

$222 £166

-60.59%

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

$27.25 ISK 3,393

$16.34 £12.25

66.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.7 ISK 10.8K

$44.41 £33.31

95.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 £26.22

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.55 £17.66

Cinema Ticket

$17.53 ISK 2,182

$13.80 £10.35

27.03%

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

$319 ISK 39.8K

$1,229 £922

-74.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.8M

$5,532 £4,148

447.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 ISK 17.1K

$58.3 £43.69

136.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 ISK 7,617

$38.74 £29.05

57.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ISK 23.0K

$88.6 £66.5

108.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$269 ISK 33.5K

$99.0 £74.3

171.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,972 ISK 370.0K

$1,234 £925

140.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 ISK 231.1K

$1,104 £828

68.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,764 ISK 593.1K

$1,948 £1,461

144.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,642 ISK 453.4K

$1,729 £1,297

110.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,689 £2,017

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,063 £2,297

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,558 ISK 692.0K

$3,025 £2,269

83.71%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Swindon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,972 in Akranes and $1,234 in Swindon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 84% 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: $144 in Akranes vs $82.0 in Swindon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $565 vs $291 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 55% 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 84% 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: $2,972 in Akranes versus $1,234 in Swindon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,548 per month in Akranes versus $2,292 in Swindon – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Swindon runs roughly 28% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,292 in Swindon versus $3,548 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 55% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.