Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Hafnarfjordur

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $3,877 in Hafnarfjordur, rent and utilities included – about $27,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
186

Cost of Living Index in Hafnarfjordur
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Hafnarfjordur Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Hafnarfjordur

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,877

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Hafnarfjordur

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $3,877 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Hafnarfjordur $3,877

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $5,400 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Hafnarfjordur $5,400

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $6,923 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Hafnarfjordur $6,923

Budapest is about 58% cheaper than Hafnarfjordur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Hafnarfjordur sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Hafnarfjordur by 187%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$31.03 ISK 3,763

-55.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$124 ISK 15.0K

-50.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$16.27 ISK 1,973

-37.37%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$6.88 ISK 835

-52.62%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$3.27 ISK 396

-34.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$3.07 ISK 372

-42.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$14.18 ISK 1,720

-73.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$12.22 ISK 1,482

-69.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.70 ISK 207

-32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$4.18 ISK 507

-57.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$3.61 ISK 438

-31.02%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$7.19 ISK 872

-45.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$21.88 ISK 2,654

-49.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$24.76 ISK 3,003

-73.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$42.29 ISK 5,130

-65.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.41 ISK 413

-46.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$2.50 ISK 303

-18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$3.18 ISK 386

-25.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$6.33 ISK 767

-38.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$3.87 ISK 469

-74.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.69 ISK 205

-40.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$3.69 ISK 447

-57.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$1.81 ISK 220

-62.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$13.80 ISK 1,674

-42.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$23.94 ISK 2,904

-74.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$3.54 ISK 430

-64.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$3.43 ISK 416

-40.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$5.21 ISK 632

-70.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$85.4 ISK 10.4K

-67.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$6.58 ISK 798

-49.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$2.80 ISK 339

-51.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$80.9 ISK 9,810

-75.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$2.04 ISK 248

-10.78%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$51.3K ISK 6.2M

-41.93%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$53.3K ISK 6.5M

-36.58%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$70.7 ISK 8,571

142.14%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$33.02 ISK 4,005

-28.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$87.0 ISK 10.6K

-73.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$64.9 ISK 7,870

4.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$17.05 ISK 2,068

-45.45%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$1,196 ISK 145.1K

-55.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$25.8K ISK 3.1M

-34.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$124 ISK 15.0K

-19.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$65.8 ISK 7,980

-33.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$125 ISK 15.2K

-11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$252 ISK 30.6K

-52.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$2,498 ISK 302.9K

-66.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$2,087 ISK 253.1K

-70.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$3,226 ISK 391.3K

-50.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$2,607 ISK 316.2K

-55.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$7,085 ISK 859.4K

-17.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$6,990 ISK 847.8K

-44.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$4,751 ISK 576.2K

-65.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

8.81

-26.79%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Hafnarfjordur

$2.1K 53.8% 236% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Hafnarfjordur

$619 16% 140% $361

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Hafnarfjordur

$500 12.9% 124% $277

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Hafnarfjordur

$191 4.9% 12.5% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Hafnarfjordur

$255 6.6% 52.2% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Hafnarfjordur

$99 2.6% 14.9% $13

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Hafnarfjordur

$127 3.3% 187% $83

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $2,498 in Hafnarfjordur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 188% higher in Hafnarfjordur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $124 in Hafnarfjordur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $619 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇸 Hafnarfjordur

🕒 Local time

05:17 5:17 AM

03:17 3:17 AM

2 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

31,525

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Hafnarfjordur 3,070 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Hafnarfjordur

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

Budapest vs Hafnarfjordur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hafnarfjordur is pricier by about 140%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $5,816 in Hafnarfjordur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 205% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $1,196 in Hafnarfjordur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,619, than in Hafnarfjordur at $3,877. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hafnarfjordur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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