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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,882 per month in Akureyri vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,886 per month in Akureyri vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,890 per month in Akureyri vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Akureyri costs about 30% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Akureyri and Lisbon sit above the global median – Akureyri by 115%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.72 ISK 2,924

$15.91 €13.69

49.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 ISK 15.8K

$64.8 €55.7

97.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.22 ISK 2,740

$10.51 €9.04

111.42%

Cappuccino

$4.83 ISK 596

$2.87 €2.47

68.29%

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

$3.26 ISK 402

$2.24 €1.93

45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ISK 374

$1.50 €1.29

102.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 ISK 1,316

$3.49 €3.00

206.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 ISK 1,130

$3.88 €3.34

136.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 ISK 357

$1.14 €0.98

153.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 ISK 291

$1.75 €1.51

34.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ISK 387

$1.76 €1.51

78.41%

Eggs

$8.08 ISK 997

$3.22 €2.77

150.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.63 ISK 2,914

$7.91 €6.81

198.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 ISK 1,624

$6.61 €5.68

99.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 ISK 302

$2.06 €1.78

18.93%

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

$40.3K ISK 5.0M

$34.3K €29.5K

17.71%

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

$64.0K ISK 7.9M

$39.3K €33.8K

62.99%

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

$120 ISK 14.8K

$148 €127

-18.75%

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

$24.83 ISK 3,062

$20.52 €17.65

21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$164 ISK 20.2K

$39.61 €34.08

313.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.4 ISK 10.4K

$47.85 €41.16

76.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 ISK 1,883

$9.18 €7.90

66.34%

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

$369 ISK 45.5K

$614 €528

-39.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.4 ISK 9,794

$105 €90.0

-24.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ISK 14.9K

$94.0 €80.8

28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 ISK 220.7K

$1,628 €1,400

9.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,741 ISK 214.7K

$1,255 €1,080

38.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 ISK 264.2K

$2,020 €1,738

6.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,370 ISK 785.4K

$7,800 €6,709

-18.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 ISK 792.6K

$4,273 €3,675

50.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.4

3.81

146.72%

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

Last update for Akureyri: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,790 in Akureyri versus $1,628 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 $128 in Akureyri versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Akureyri vs $269 in Lisbon – so Akureyri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 30%, 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 $4,322 per month in Akureyri and $3,315 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 $128 in Akureyri and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Akureyri – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,882 in Akureyri and $2,210 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.