Cost of Living Comparison Between Akureyri and Hella Cost of Living Comparison Between Akureyri and Hella

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,862 per month in Akureyri vs $1,637 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,910 per month in Akureyri vs $2,843 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,958 per month in Akureyri vs $4,048 in Hella, rent included.

Akureyri costs about 75% more than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Akureyri and Hella sit above the global median – Akureyri by 114%, Hella by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.68 ISK 2,899

$27.19 ISK 3,329

-12.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 ISK 15.6K

$147 ISK 17.9K

-13.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.00 ISK 2,694

$22.26 ISK 2,726

-1.17%

Cappuccino

$4.83 ISK 591

$6.27 ISK 768

-22.97%

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

$3.43 ISK 420

$3.29 ISK 402

4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ISK 379

$2.50 ISK 306

23.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.76 ISK 1,317

$12.92 ISK 1,582

-16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.30 ISK 1,138

$11.32 ISK 1,386

-17.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 ISK 341

$1.93 ISK 237

44.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ISK 276

$4.36 ISK 534

-48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ISK 375

$3.61 ISK 442

-14.96%

Eggs

$8.25 ISK 1,010

$6.31 ISK 773

30.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.91 ISK 2,193

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.53 ISK 3,004

$23.63 ISK 2,893

3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.77 ISK 5,237

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ISK 396

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 ISK 296

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ISK 381

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 ISK 596

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 ISK 446

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 ISK 293

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 ISK 376

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 236

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.19 ISK 1,615

$13.41 ISK 1,642

-1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.12 ISK 2,831

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 ISK 445

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ISK 409

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 ISK 798

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 ISK 308

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.3 ISK 10.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.54 ISK 311

$2.57 ISK 314

-1.17%

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

$39.8K ISK 4.9M

$48.2K ISK 5.9M

-17.42%

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

$63.4K ISK 7.8M

$52.7K ISK 6.5M

20.26%

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

$121 ISK 14.8K

$89.3 ISK 10.9K

35.48%

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

$25.36 ISK 3,105

$27.34 ISK 3,347

-7.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$160 ISK 19.6K

$87.0 ISK 10.6K

84.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.2 ISK 10.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 ISK 1,822

$17.63 ISK 2,159

-15.60%

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

$357 ISK 43.8K

$318 ISK 38.9K

12.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 ISK 9,663

$141 ISK 17.3K

-44.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 ISK 7,420

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 ISK 15.0K

$182 ISK 22.3K

-33.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$262 ISK 32.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ISK 219.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 ISK 220.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ISK 260.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,617 ISK 810.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,409 ISK 784.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.4

9.63

-2.39%

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

Last update for Akureyri: April 28, 2026

Last update for Hella: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $127 in Akureyri versus $147 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $593 – making Akureyri the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 75%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,293 per month in Akureyri and $2,456 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 $127 in Akureyri and $147 in Hella. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 171% cheaper in Akureyri – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hella, where all-in costs run around $1,637, than in Akureyri at $2,862. In Hella it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hella – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hella. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Akureyri makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.