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: $1,627 in Grundarfjordur versus $3,508 in Selfoss.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,837 in Grundarfjordur versus $2,454 in Selfoss.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,047 in Grundarfjordur versus $1,401 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 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.29 ISK 3,340

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 ISK 17.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.64 ISK 2,772

$20.20 ISK 2,473

12.08%

Cappuccino

$6.23 ISK 763

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

$3.25 ISK 398

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ISK 324

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.93 ISK 1,582

$12.27 ISK 1,502

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.12 ISK 1,362

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ISK 232

$1.68 ISK 206

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.26 ISK 521

$7.36 ISK 901

-42.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 ISK 456

$4.45 ISK 545

-16.18%

Eggs

$6.46 ISK 791

$6.27 ISK 768

3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.22 ISK 2,230

$16.70 ISK 2,044

9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.68 ISK 2,899

$20.92 ISK 2,561

13.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.67 ISK 5,101

$32.43 ISK 3,970

28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 ISK 413

$2.78 ISK 341

21.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 298

$2.67 ISK 326

-8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ISK 380

$2.68 ISK 328

16.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 ISK 608

$7.03 ISK 860

-29.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 ISK 448

$3.04 ISK 372

20.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 ISK 287

$2.10 ISK 257

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 ISK 378

$3.55 ISK 434

-13.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ISK 240

$1.38 ISK 170

42.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 ISK 1,656

$15.22 ISK 1,863

-11.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.41 ISK 2,744

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 ISK 454

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ISK 393

$1.09 ISK 134

194.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 ISK 782

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 ISK 311

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.5 ISK 10.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ISK 308

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

$46.6K ISK 5.7M

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

$53.1K ISK 6.5M

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

$88.9 ISK 10.9K

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

$27.36 ISK 3,349

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.8 ISK 10.6K

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 ISK 2,117

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

$323 ISK 39.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 ISK 17.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 ISK 7,506

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$184 ISK 22.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$268 ISK 32.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,908 ISK 356.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,177 ISK 144.1K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Grundarfjordur and $0 in Selfoss. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $142 in Grundarfjordur vs $0 in Selfoss for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $590 vs $507 per month, with Selfoss cheaper across the board.

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 116% in total monthly costs ($1,627 vs $3,508 including rent). Grundarfjordur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,440 in Grundarfjordur and $5,261 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 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,627 per month in Grundarfjordur versus $3,508 in Selfoss – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,627 in Grundarfjordur versus $3,508 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 116% less than in Selfoss. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.