Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Akureyri and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $3,077 in Akureyri, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Akureyri

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,077

/mo nomad

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,223

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Akureyri and in Lisbon

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 Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,077 per month in Akureyri vs $2,223 in Lisbon, rent included.

Akureyri $3,077
Lisbon $2,223

A couple spends around $4,153 per month in Akureyri vs $3,271 in Lisbon, rent included.

Akureyri $4,153
Lisbon $3,271

A family of three spends $5,229 per month in Akureyri vs $4,319 in Lisbon, rent included.

Akureyri $5,229
Lisbon $4,319

Akureyri costs about 38% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Akureyri and Lisbon sit above the global median – Akureyri by 128%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.88 ISK 3,018

$16.50 €14.67

50.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$129 ISK 15.7K

$61.3 €54.5

111.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.70 ISK 2,753

$11.27 €10.03

101.42%

Cappuccino

$5.07 ISK 615

$3.06 €2.72

65.69%

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

$3.35 ISK 407

$2.26 €2.01

48.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ISK 368

$1.73 €1.54

75.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.86 ISK 1,317

$3.39 €3.02

220.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.32 ISK 1,131

$3.40 €3.02

174.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 ISK 346

$1.12 €1.00

154.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ISK 281

$1.86 €1.65

24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 ISK 384

$1.53 €1.36

106.54%

Eggs

$7.98 ISK 968

$3.96 €3.53

101.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.35 ISK 1,862

$12.76 €11.35

20.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.80 ISK 3,008

$7.90 €7.02

213.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 €15.09

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 €2.02

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 ISK 346

$1.75 €1.55

62.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 ISK 426

$1.85 €1.64

89.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 ISK 746

$2.57 €2.28

139.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.65

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 ISK 1,684

$6.56 €5.83

111.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.62 €5.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.09

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 €0.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 €14.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.64 ISK 320

$2.28 €2.03

15.79%

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

$41.7K ISK 5.1M

$33.7K €30.0K

23.69%

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

$66.3K ISK 8.0M

$39.3K €35.0K

68.70%

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

$124 ISK 15.0K

$167 €149

-25.94%

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

$25.96 ISK 3,149

$18.80 €16.72

38.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$163 ISK 19.8K

$33.09 €29.43

392.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.4 ISK 10.2K

$46.01 €40.93

83.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 €17.07

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 ISK 1,855

$9.84 €8.75

55.39%

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

$365 ISK 44.3K

$677 €602

-46.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 ISK 10.1K

$101 €90.1

-17.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 €40.70

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 ISK 14.8K

$100.0 €88.9

22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 ISK 221.8K

$1,614 €1,436

13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 ISK 218.6K

$1,197 €1,065

50.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 €2,545

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 ISK 262.4K

$1,990 €1,770

8.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,455 ISK 783.0K

$7,577 €6,740

-14.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,684 ISK 810.7K

$4,307 €3,831

55.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,588 €1,412

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.4

3.85

144.16%

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

Last update for Akureyri: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Akureyri

–

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.9%

Groceries & Markets

Akureyri

–

Lisbon

$269 12.1%

Eating Out

Akureyri

–

Lisbon

$242 10.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Akureyri

–

Lisbon

$219 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Akureyri

–

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Akureyri

–

Lisbon

$66 3%

Getting Around

Akureyri

–

Lisbon

$63 2.8%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,829 in Akureyri versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $129 in Akureyri versus $61.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Akureyri

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🕒 Local time

23:24 11:24 PM

00:24 12:24 AM

1 h ahead of Akureyri

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,219

545,923 Capital

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Akureyri Lisbon 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Akureyri
Lisbon

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,616 per month in Akureyri and $3,335 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $129 in Akureyri and $61.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Akureyri, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,223, than in Akureyri at $3,077. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – 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 Lisbon. 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.