Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Akranes and Villingen-Schwenningen

For one person, living is cheaper in Villingen-Schwenningen: $1,845 a month against $3,713 in Akranes, rent and utilities included – about $22,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Akranes, Iceland
Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
Akranes
🇮🇸 Iceland
$3,713
/mo nomad
Villingen-Schwenningen
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,845
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Akranes and in Villingen-Schwenningen

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 Villingen-Schwenningen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,713 in Akranes versus $1,845 in Villingen-Schwenningen.

  • Akranes $3,713
  • Villingen-Schwenningen $1,845

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,859 in Akranes versus $2,861 in Villingen-Schwenningen.

  • Akranes $5,859
  • Villingen-Schwenningen $2,861

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,006 in Akranes versus $3,878 in Villingen-Schwenningen.

  • Akranes $8,006
  • Villingen-Schwenningen $3,878

Living in Akranes is roughly 101% more expensive than in Villingen-Schwenningen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Akranes 173% above, Villingen-Schwenningen 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.70 ISK 3,862
$15.59 €14.00
103.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123 ISK 15.0K
$56.7 €50.9
117.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$26.72 ISK 3,255
$10.21 €9.17
161.70%
Cappuccino
$6.01 ISK 733
$3.40 €3.05
76.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ISK 389
$3.38 €3.03
-5.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 ISK 306
$2.19 €1.97
14.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.69 ISK 1,302
$4.93 €4.43
116.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.10 ISK 987
$4.42 €3.97
83.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.10 ISK 255
$1.22 €1.09
72.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.04 ISK 248
$2.18 €1.96
-6.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.71 ISK 452
$2.86 €2.57
29.72%
Eggs
$6.26 ISK 763
$2.59 €2.33
141.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.35 ISK 2,479
$9.90 €8.89
105.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.72 ISK 3,012
$11.29 €10.14
118.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$42.16 ISK 5,137
$14.94 €13.42
182.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 ISK 402
$3.11 €2.80
6.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 ISK 331
$1.57 €1.41
73.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.23 ISK 394
$2.12 €1.91
52.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.89 ISK 596
$3.99 €3.59
22.56%
Potato (1kg)
$3.82 ISK 465
$1.28 €1.15
198.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 ISK 208
$1.34 €1.20
27.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.65 ISK 445
$1.40 €1.26
160.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 ISK 221
$1.06 €0.95
70.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.90 ISK 1,693
$9.21 €8.27
50.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.57 ISK 2,872
$3.79 €3.41
521.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.88 ISK 351
$1.18 €1.06
144.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 ISK 252
$1.56 €1.40
32.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.61 ISK 440
$3.56 €3.20
1.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.3 ISK 8,809
$69.4 €62.3
4.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.55 ISK 798
$4.98 €4.47
31.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 ISK 153
$2.77 €2.49
-54.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$81.9 ISK 9,980
$42.27 €37.97
93.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 ISK 253
$2.02 €1.81
2.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$67.8K ISK 8.3M
$32.9K €29.5K
106.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.6K ISK 6.6M
$38.1K €34.2K
43.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ISK 11.7K
$475 €427
-79.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.29 ISK 4,056
$15.55 €13.97
114.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.0 ISK 10.4K
$45.96 €41.29
85.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$104 ISK 12.7K
$38.59 €34.67
169.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.36 €21.88
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.29 ISK 2,351
$10.26 €9.21
88.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,205 ISK 146.8K
$261 €235
361.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.1K ISK 3.2M
$17.1K €15.4K
52.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$150 ISK 18.2K
$84.7 €76.1
76.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.1 ISK 8,176
$60.3 €54.1
11.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$179 ISK 21.8K
$110 €98.9
62.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$246 ISK 29.9K
$106 €94.9
132.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,064 ISK 373.3K
$807 €725
279.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,889 ISK 230.2K
$450 €404
319.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,013 ISK 610.8K
$1,481 €1,331
238.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,654 ISK 445.2K
$1,159 €1,041
215.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,504 €4,046
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,133 €2,814
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Akranes
Villingen-Schwenningen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,704 ISK 695.0K
$4,022 €3,613
41.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.81
3.81
131.23%

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

Last update for Akranes: October 27, 2026

Last update for Villingen-Schwenningen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Akranes
$1.9K
Villingen-Schwenningen
$450 76.2% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Akranes
$579
Villingen-Schwenningen
$282 51.4% $298
Eating Out
Akranes
$498
Villingen-Schwenningen
$252 49.5% $246
Clothing & Footwear
Akranes
$289
Villingen-Schwenningen
$162 43.8% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Akranes
$215
Villingen-Schwenningen
$537 150% $322
Sport & Entertainment
Akranes
$143
Villingen-Schwenningen
$59 58.6% $84
Getting Around
Akranes
$100
Villingen-Schwenningen
$102 2.9% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,064 in Akranes and $807 in Villingen-Schwenningen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 42% 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: $123 in Akranes vs $57 in Villingen-Schwenningen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $579 vs $282 per month, with Villingen-Schwenningen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇸 Akranes
🇩🇪 Villingen-Schwenningen
🕒 Local time
23:49 11:49 PM
00:49 12:49 AM
1 h ahead of Akranes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,800
81,128
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.37 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Akranes Villingen-Schwenningen 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Akranes
  • Villingen-Schwenningen

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 Villingen-Schwenningen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Akranes or Villingen-Schwenningen?
Villingen-Schwenningen wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Akranes. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Villingen-Schwenningen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Akranes or in Villingen-Schwenningen?
Average pay runs 42% higher in Akranes, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Akranes compared to Villingen-Schwenningen?
Rent for a central apartment: $3,064 in Akranes versus $807 in Villingen-Schwenningen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Akranes compared to Villingen-Schwenningen?
All in, you’ll spend $3,713 per month in Akranes versus $1,845 in Villingen-Schwenningen – Villingen-Schwenningen is about 50% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Akranes compared to Villingen-Schwenningen?
A monthly transit pass in Villingen-Schwenningen runs roughly 4% less than in Akranes. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Akranes or in Villingen-Schwenningen?
At $1,845 in Villingen-Schwenningen versus $3,713 in Akranes, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Villingen-Schwenningen but tight or insufficient in Akranes. The gap between the two cities makes Villingen-Schwenningen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Akranes or Villingen-Schwenningen?
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.
How safe is Akranes compared to Villingen-Schwenningen?
Safety-wise, Akranes and Villingen-Schwenningen are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Villingen-Schwenningen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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