Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Reykjavik

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $46,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Arica
🇨🇱 Chile
$111
/mo nomad
Reykjavik
🇮🇸 Iceland
$4,002
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arica and in Reykjavik

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

A single person spends $111 per month in Arica vs $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent included.

  • Arica $111
  • Reykjavik $4,002

A couple spends around $178 per month in Arica vs $5,705 in Reykjavik, rent included.

  • Arica $178
  • Reykjavik $5,705

A family of three spends $246 per month in Arica vs $7,407 in Reykjavik, rent included.

  • Arica $246
  • Reykjavik $7,407

Arica is about 97% cheaper than Reykjavik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Arica sits 92% below the global median, while Reykjavik is 196% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$31.56 ISK 3,829
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$122 ISK 14.8K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$26.86 ISK 3,259
-
Cappuccino
-
$6.81 ISK 827
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.39 ISK 411
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 CLP 1,224
$3.20 ISK 388
-60.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$14.14 ISK 1,716
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$12.31 ISK 1,493
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 CLP 987
$2.10 ISK 255
-51.90%
White Bread (500g)
-
$4.19 ISK 508
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$3.72 ISK 451
-
Eggs
-
$7.05 ISK 856
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$21.56 ISK 2,617
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$24.68 ISK 2,995
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$42.19 ISK 5,120
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$3.23 ISK 392
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$2.73 ISK 332
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$3.17 ISK 385
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$6.61 ISK 803
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$3.85 ISK 467
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.66 ISK 201
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$3.80 ISK 461
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.75 ISK 212
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$13.71 ISK 1,663
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$24.21 ISK 2,938
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.53 ISK 429
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.32 ISK 402
-
🚌 Getting Around
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 CLP 688
$5.75 ISK 698
-87.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$93.8 ISK 11.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$6.61 ISK 803
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.90 ISK 352
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$79.2 ISK 9,607
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$2.09 ISK 254
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$51.0K ISK 6.2M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$53.3K ISK 6.5M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$95.3 ISK 11.6K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$32.35 ISK 3,925
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$87.5 ISK 10.6K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$102 ISK 12.4K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$50.1 ISK 6,077
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$19.88 ISK 2,413
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,194 ISK 144.9K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$25.4K ISK 3.1M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.20 CLP 39.4K
$149 ISK 18.1K
-73.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.59 CLP 20.2K
$66.6 ISK 8,084
-69.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.9 CLP 52.8K
$180 ISK 21.8K
-70.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.7 CLP 89.9K
$253 ISK 30.7K
-63.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,549 ISK 309.3K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,056 ISK 249.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,498 ISK 424.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,764 ISK 335.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$8,120 ISK 985.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,254 ISK 758.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arica
Reykjavik
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$504 CLP 493.6K
$4,573 ISK 554.9K
-88.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
8.81
-43.25%

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

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Clothing & Footwear
Arica
$93
Reykjavik
$292 214% $199
Groceries & Markets
Arica
$10 *
Reykjavik
$623 6083% $613
Eating Out
Arica
$5 *
Reykjavik
$536 10651% $531
Getting Around
Arica
$2.8 *
Reykjavik
$138 4809% $135
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arica
- *
Reykjavik
$215
Sport & Entertainment
Arica
- *
Reykjavik
$142
Accommodation & Living
Arica
- *
Reykjavik
$2.1K

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 808% higher in Reykjavik, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Arica
🇮🇸 Reykjavik
🕒 Local time
07:00 7:00 AM
10:00 10:00 AM
3 h ahead of Arica
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
202,131
136,894 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 980 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,099 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.1 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.35 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Arica Reykjavik 10,070 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Arica
  • Reykjavik

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
Arica vs Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Arica and in Reykjavik compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $111 in Arica, $4,002 in Reykjavik – roughly 3513% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Arica compared to Reykjavik?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $166 per month in Arica and $6,003 in Reykjavik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Arica or Reykjavik?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $111 in Arica and $4,002 in Reykjavik. That's a gap of about 3513%.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 6083% more in Reykjavik, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Reykjavik at $4,002. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Arica and Reykjavik?
It depends on your priorities. Reykjavik has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $111 in Arica to $4,002 in Reykjavik. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Arica or Reykjavik safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Arica and Reykjavik?
If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reykjavik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Arica vs other spots: cost of living compared

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