Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Selfoss

For one person, living is cheaper in Berlin: $2,545 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Berlin
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Berlin Living Index

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Berlin

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,545

/mo nomad

Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Selfoss

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

A single person spends $2,545 per month in Berlin vs $3,460 in Selfoss, rent included.

Berlin $2,545
Selfoss $3,460

A couple spends around $3,901 per month in Berlin vs $2,461 in Selfoss, rent included.

Berlin $3,901
Selfoss $2,461

A family of three spends $5,257 per month in Berlin vs $1,462 in Selfoss, rent included.

Berlin $5,257
Selfoss $1,462

Berlin is about 26% cheaper than Selfoss, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Berlin and Selfoss sit above the global median – Berlin by 90%, Selfoss by 158%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.81 €14.99

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 €71.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.38 €11.93

$20.81 ISK 2,536

-35.70%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.81

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

$3.40 €3.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 €4.88

$12.20 ISK 1,487

-55.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €4.06

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.13

$1.79 ISK 219

-29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.18

$7.61 ISK 927

-67.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 €2.94

$4.46 ISK 544

-26.01%

Eggs

$4.45 €3.97

$6.56 ISK 800

-32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 €15.25

$17.24 ISK 2,101

-0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.19 €10.87

$21.77 ISK 2,653

-44.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.30 €16.32

$33.50 ISK 4,082

-45.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 €3.19

$2.72 ISK 332

31.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 €1.76

$2.75 ISK 335

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 €2.91

$2.65 ISK 323

23.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 €3.40

$7.51 ISK 915

-49.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.90

$3.21 ISK 391

-33.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.97

$2.18 ISK 266

1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.33

$3.60 ISK 438

-58.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.90

$1.44 ISK 175

-29.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.49 €9.36

$15.97 ISK 1,946

-34.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 €6.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.87

$1.17 ISK 143

79.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 €3.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.0 €63.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 €4.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 €2.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.30 €32.36

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 €2.03

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

$33.2K €29.6K

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

$39.1K €34.8K

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

$379 €338

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

$19.31 €17.22

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.41 €43.17

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.31 €35.94

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.51 €31.66

Cinema Ticket

$15.53 €13.85

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

$144 €128

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 €84.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.33 €41.31

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €92.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €126

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 €1,327

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 €979

$2,820 ISK 343.6K

-61.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 €2,376

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 €1,855

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,578 €7,648

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,438 €4,849

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 €3,109

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

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

Last update for Berlin: October 3, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Berlin

$1.1K 43.3%

Selfoss

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Berlin

$447 17.6%

Selfoss

–

Groceries & Markets

Berlin

$351 13.8%

Selfoss

–

Eating Out

Berlin

$289 11.4%

Selfoss

–

Clothing & Footwear

Berlin

$174 6.8%

Selfoss

–

Getting Around

Berlin

$109 4.3%

Selfoss

–

Sport & Entertainment

Berlin

$71 2.8%

Selfoss

–

Good to know

🇩🇪 Berlin

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

04:50 4:50 AM

2 h behind Berlin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,769,962 Capital

9,000

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇺 Euro (€)

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.32 EUR).

USD to EUR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Berlin Selfoss 2,340 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Berlin
Selfoss

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

Berlin vs Selfoss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Selfoss is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,818 per month in Berlin and $5,190 in Selfoss. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,545 in Berlin and $3,460 in Selfoss. That's a gap of about 36%.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Selfoss, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Berlin, where all-in costs run around $2,545, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Berlin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Berlin – 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 Berlin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.