Cost of Living Comparison Between Akureyri and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Akureyri and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,122 per month in Akureyri vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,153 per month in Akureyri vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,184 per month in Akureyri vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Akureyri costs about 35% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Akureyri and Lisbon sit above the global median – Akureyri by 127%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.26 ISK 2,940

$17.30 €14.93

40.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 ISK 16.2K

$63.3 €54.6

110.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.44 ISK 2,719

$11.39 €9.83

97.01%

Cappuccino

$4.94 ISK 599

$3.19 €2.75

54.86%

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

$3.35 ISK 406

$2.45 €2.11

36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ISK 382

$1.76 €1.52

78.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.19 ISK 1,356

$3.59 €3.10

211.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.57 ISK 1,159

$3.39 €2.93

182.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.74 ISK 332

$1.24 €1.07

120.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 ISK 283

$1.98 €1.71

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 ISK 386

$1.52 €1.31

109.87%

Eggs

$7.64 ISK 926

$4.04 €3.49

89.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.73 ISK 1,907

$13.54 €11.68

16.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.74 ISK 2,998

$8.39 €7.24

194.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 ISK 355

$1.74 €1.50

68.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 ISK 422

$1.86 €1.60

87.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ISK 732

$2.63 €2.27

129.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.98 ISK 1,694

$6.78 €5.85

106.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.65 ISK 321

$2.32 €2.01

14.22%

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

$42.0K ISK 5.1M

$35.3K €30.5K

18.84%

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

$66.7K ISK 8.1M

$41.4K €35.8K

60.87%

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

$122 ISK 14.7K

$170 €147

-28.54%

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

$26.17 ISK 3,171

$19.34 €16.69

35.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$163 ISK 19.7K

$33.64 €29.03

383.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.4 ISK 10.5K

$48.10 €41.50

79.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 ISK 1,840

$9.92 €8.56

53.02%

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

$375 ISK 45.4K

$717 €619

-47.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 ISK 9,802

$105 €90.4

-22.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ISK 15.3K

$103 €89.2

22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 ISK 221.5K

$1,677 €1,447

9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 ISK 216.3K

$1,271 €1,097

40.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,204 ISK 267.1K

$1,992 €1,719

10.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,515 ISK 789.5K

$7,826 €6,753

-16.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,675 ISK 808.8K

$4,658 €4,019

43.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.4

3.79

148.02%

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

Last update for Akureyri: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,827 in Akureyri versus $1,677 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 $133 in Akureyri versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $283 – making Lisbon 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,683 per month in Akureyri and $3,474 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 $133 in Akureyri and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Akureyri, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,122 in Akureyri and $2,316 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.