Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Grundarfjordur and Akureyri

For one person, living is cheaper in Grundarfjordur: $1,713 a month against $3,106 in Akureyri, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Akureyri outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Grundarfjordur
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Grundarfjordur Living Index

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Grundarfjordur

🇮🇸 Iceland

$1,713

/mo nomad

Akureyri

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,106

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Grundarfjordur and in Akureyri

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

A single person spends $1,713 per month in Grundarfjordur vs $3,106 in Akureyri, rent included.

Grundarfjordur $1,713
Akureyri $3,106

A couple spends around $2,918 per month in Grundarfjordur vs $4,176 in Akureyri, rent included.

Grundarfjordur $2,918
Akureyri $4,176

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Grundarfjordur vs $5,246 in Akureyri, rent included.

Grundarfjordur $4,122
Akureyri $5,246

Grundarfjordur is about 45% cheaper than Akureyri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Grundarfjordur and Akureyri sit above the global median – Grundarfjordur by 26%, Akureyri by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.53 ISK 3,720

$24.94 ISK 3,039

22.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 ISK 15.1K

$129 ISK 15.7K

-3.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$27.06 ISK 3,298

$22.63 ISK 2,758

19.58%

Cappuccino

$6.61 ISK 805

$5.04 ISK 613

31.15%

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

$3.34 ISK 407

$3.35 ISK 408

-0.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ISK 370

$2.99 ISK 364

1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.17 ISK 1,726

$11.22 ISK 1,367

26.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.21 ISK 1,488

$9.62 ISK 1,173

26.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ISK 255

$2.77 ISK 338

-24.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 ISK 501

$2.32 ISK 283

77.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 ISK 455

$3.14 ISK 383

18.79%

Eggs

$6.93 ISK 845

$7.65 ISK 931

-9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.76 ISK 2,651

$15.85 ISK 1,932

37.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.62 ISK 2,999

$24.82 ISK 3,024

-0.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.23 ISK 5,145

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ISK 403

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 ISK 337

$2.92 ISK 355

-5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ISK 385

$3.45 ISK 421

-8.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 ISK 770

$6.08 ISK 740

3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 ISK 488

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 ISK 201

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.84 ISK 467

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ISK 216

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 ISK 1,725

$13.71 ISK 1,670

3.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.44 ISK 2,856

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 ISK 450

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ISK 424

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 ISK 802

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 ISK 341

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.5 ISK 9,808

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 256

$2.59 ISK 315

-18.92%

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

$68.8K ISK 8.4M

$41.3K ISK 5.0M

66.62%

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

$55.0K ISK 6.7M

$65.2K ISK 7.9M

-15.57%

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

$97.0 ISK 11.8K

$121 ISK 14.7K

-19.69%

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

$32.92 ISK 4,011

$25.21 ISK 3,072

30.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 ISK 10.5K

$165 ISK 20.1K

-47.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 ISK 10.3K

Cinema Ticket

$19.36 ISK 2,359

$15.53 ISK 1,892

24.66%

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

$1,182 ISK 144.0K

$367 ISK 44.7K

221.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.3K ISK 3.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$148 ISK 18.0K

$80.8 ISK 9,845

83.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.1 ISK 8,059

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ISK 22.5K

$122 ISK 14.9K

51.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$247 ISK 30.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 ISK 223.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 ISK 223.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 ISK 266.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,596 ISK 803.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,098 ISK 133.8K

$6,483 ISK 789.9K

-83.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

9.4

-6.28%

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

Last update for Grundarfjordur: October 24, 2026

Last update for Akureyri: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Grundarfjordur

$621 36.3%

Akureyri

–

Eating Out

Grundarfjordur

$525 30.7%

Akureyri

–

Clothing & Footwear

Grundarfjordur

$291 17%

Akureyri

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Grundarfjordur

$216 12.6%

Akureyri

–

Sport & Entertainment

Grundarfjordur

$39 * 2.3%

Akureyri

–

Getting Around

Grundarfjordur

$21 * 1.2%

Akureyri

–

Accommodation & Living

Grundarfjordur

- * 0%

Akureyri

–

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Grundarfjordur versus $129 in Akureyri. Groceries tell a different story – $621 in Grundarfjordur vs $327 in Akureyri – so Akureyri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Grundarfjordur

🇮🇸 Akureyri

🕒 Local time

08:34 8:34 AM

Same time as Grundarfjordur

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

800

19,219

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.37 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Grundarfjordur Akureyri 250 km

From you

Grundarfjordur
Akureyri

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

Grundarfjordur vs Akureyri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 81%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,570 per month in Grundarfjordur and $4,659 in Akureyri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Grundarfjordur and $129 in Akureyri. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Akureyri – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Grundarfjordur, where all-in costs run around $1,713, than in Akureyri at $3,106. In Grundarfjordur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Akureyri has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,713 in Grundarfjordur to $3,106 in Akureyri. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.