Cost of Living Comparison Between Grundarfjordur and Selfoss Cost of Living Comparison Between Grundarfjordur and Selfoss

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Grundarfjordur versus $3,513 in Selfoss.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Grundarfjordur versus $2,472 in Selfoss.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,017 in Grundarfjordur versus $1,431 in Selfoss.

Living in Grundarfjordur costs roughly 54% less than in Selfoss, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grundarfjordur 21% above, Selfoss 163% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.89 ISK 3,379

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 ISK 18.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.15 ISK 2,783

$20.16 ISK 2,533

9.87%

Cappuccino

$6.23 ISK 783

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

$3.29 ISK 414

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ISK 330

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 ISK 1,639

$11.90 ISK 1,495

9.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.38 ISK 1,430

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ISK 238

$1.74 ISK 219

8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 ISK 533

$7.28 ISK 915

-41.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 ISK 462

$4.31 ISK 541

-14.62%

Eggs

$6.27 ISK 787

$6.44 ISK 810

-2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.35 ISK 2,306

$16.73 ISK 2,102

9.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.33 ISK 3,057

$20.98 ISK 2,637

15.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.94 ISK 5,395

$33.33 ISK 4,187

28.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 ISK 420

$2.77 ISK 348

20.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ISK 319

$2.56 ISK 321

-0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 ISK 373

$2.63 ISK 330

12.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 ISK 611

$7.21 ISK 906

-32.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 463

$3.07 ISK 386

20.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 ISK 296

$2.03 ISK 255

16.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 ISK 389

$3.57 ISK 449

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ISK 250

$1.35 ISK 169

47.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.44 ISK 1,688

$15.31 ISK 1,924

-12.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 ISK 2,914

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 ISK 471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ISK 406

$1.14 ISK 143

183.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 ISK 813

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 ISK 321

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.6 ISK 10.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.46 ISK 309

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

$47.8K ISK 6.0M

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

$52.0K ISK 6.5M

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

$89.5 ISK 11.2K

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

$27.25 ISK 3,424

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.8 ISK 10.8K

Cinema Ticket

$17.39 ISK 2,185

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

$322 ISK 40.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 ISK 17.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ISK 7,642

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$183 ISK 23.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$268 ISK 33.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,882 ISK 362.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 ISK 141.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

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

Last update for Grundarfjordur: July 21, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: July 20, 2026

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 Selfoss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grundarfjordur and Selfoss differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($1,614 vs $3,513 including rent). Grundarfjordur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,421 in Grundarfjordur and $5,269 in Selfoss to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Selfoss pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,614 per month in Grundarfjordur versus $3,513 in Selfoss – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,614 in Grundarfjordur versus $3,513 in Selfoss, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Grundarfjordur but tight or insufficient in Selfoss. The gap between the two cities makes Grundarfjordur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Grundarfjordur and Selfoss are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Grundarfjordur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Selfoss. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.