Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Akureyri and Hella

For one person, living is cheaper in Hella: $1,721 a month against $3,106 in Akureyri, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Akureyri outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Hella
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Hella Living Index

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Akureyri

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,106

/mo nomad

Hella

🇮🇸 Iceland

$1,721

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Akureyri and in Hella

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

A single person spends $3,106 per month in Akureyri vs $1,721 in Hella, rent included.

Akureyri $3,106
Hella $1,721

A couple spends around $4,176 per month in Akureyri vs $2,933 in Hella, rent included.

Akureyri $4,176
Hella $2,933

A family of three spends $5,246 per month in Akureyri vs $4,144 in Hella, rent included.

Akureyri $5,246
Hella $4,144

Akureyri costs about 80% more than Hella, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Akureyri and Hella sit above the global median – Akureyri by 128%, Hella by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.94 ISK 3,028

$31.01 ISK 3,764

-19.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$129 ISK 15.6K

$125 ISK 15.2K

3.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.63 ISK 2,748

$26.87 ISK 3,262

-15.78%

Cappuccino

$5.04 ISK 611

$6.70 ISK 814

-24.78%

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

$3.35 ISK 406

$3.42 ISK 415

-2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ISK 363

$3.09 ISK 375

-3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.22 ISK 1,362

$14.10 ISK 1,712

-20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.62 ISK 1,168

$12.42 ISK 1,508

-22.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 ISK 337

$2.04 ISK 248

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 ISK 282

$4.28 ISK 519

-45.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ISK 382

$3.72 ISK 452

-15.59%

Eggs

$7.65 ISK 928

$7.31 ISK 887

4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.85 ISK 1,925

$21.77 ISK 2,642

-27.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.82 ISK 3,013

$24.39 ISK 2,961

1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.56 ISK 5,045

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ISK 409

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 ISK 354

$2.85 ISK 346

2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 ISK 419

$3.28 ISK 398

5.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.08 ISK 738

$6.43 ISK 780

-5.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ISK 484

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 ISK 208

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.79 ISK 460

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ISK 219

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 ISK 1,664

$13.94 ISK 1,692

-1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.80 ISK 2,890

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 ISK 444

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ISK 423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ISK 820

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ISK 335

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.5 ISK 9,769

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.59 ISK 314

$2.04 ISK 247

26.96%

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

$41.3K ISK 5.0M

$70.1K ISK 8.5M

-41.11%

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

$65.2K ISK 7.9M

$54.6K ISK 6.6M

19.43%

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

$121 ISK 14.7K

$96.9 ISK 11.8K

24.68%

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

$25.21 ISK 3,061

$32.44 ISK 3,938

-22.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$165 ISK 20.0K

$87.1 ISK 10.6K

88.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 ISK 10.2K

Cinema Ticket

$15.53 ISK 1,885

$19.34 ISK 2,348

-19.70%

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

$367 ISK 44.6K

$1,192 ISK 144.7K

-69.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.4K ISK 3.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 ISK 9,810

$152 ISK 18.4K

-46.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 ISK 8,122

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 ISK 14.8K

$182 ISK 22.1K

-33.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$247 ISK 30.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 ISK 222.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 ISK 222.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 ISK 265.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,596 ISK 800.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,483 ISK 787.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.4

8.81

6.70%

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

Last update for Akureyri: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hella: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Akureyri

–

Hella

$623 36.2%

Eating Out

Akureyri

–

Hella

$531 30.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Akureyri

–

Hella

$292 17%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Akureyri

–

Hella

$216 12.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Akureyri

–

Hella

$39 * 2.3%

Getting Around

Akureyri

–

Hella

$21 * 1.2%

Accommodation & Living

Akureyri

–

Hella

- * 0%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $129 in Akureyri versus $125 in Hella. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Akureyri vs $623 in Hella – so Akureyri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Akureyri

🇮🇸 Hella

🕒 Local time

06:04 6:04 AM

Same time as Akureyri

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,219

900

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.35 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.35 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Akureyri Hella 230 km

From you

Akureyri
Hella

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

Akureyri vs Hella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 80%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,659 per month in Akureyri and $2,582 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $129 in Akureyri and $125 in Hella. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Akureyri – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hella, where all-in costs run around $1,721, than in Akureyri at $3,106. In Hella it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Akureyri has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,721 in Hella to $3,106 in Akureyri. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.