Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafnarfjordur and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $3,877 in Hafnarfjordur, rent and utilities included – about $27,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

186

Cost of Living Index in Hafnarfjordur
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Hafnarfjordur Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Hafnarfjordur

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,877

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hafnarfjordur and in Istanbul

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

A single person spends $3,877 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Hafnarfjordur $3,877
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $5,400 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Hafnarfjordur $5,400
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $6,923 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Hafnarfjordur $6,923
Istanbul $3,281

Hafnarfjordur costs about 150% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hafnarfjordur and Istanbul sit above the global median – Hafnarfjordur by 187%, Istanbul by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.03 ISK 3,763

$12.30 ₺609

152.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 ISK 15.0K

$54.7 ₺2,708

126.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.27 ISK 1,973

$9.22 ₺456

76.46%

Cappuccino

$6.88 ISK 835

$4.40 ₺218

56.36%

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

$3.27 ISK 396

$1.68 ₺83.1

94.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ISK 372

$0.59 ₺29.40

420.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.18 ISK 1,720

$4.70 ₺233

201.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.22 ISK 1,482

$5.91 ₺292

106.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ISK 207

$1.21 ₺60.0

40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 ISK 507

$0.89 ₺44.10

369.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 ISK 438

$2.19 ₺108

64.84%

Eggs

$7.19 ISK 872

$2.35 ₺116

205.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.88 ISK 2,654

$10.42 ₺516

109.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.76 ISK 3,003

$5.65 ₺280

338.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.29 ISK 5,130

$20.94 ₺1,037

101.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 ISK 413

$1.90 ₺94.1

79.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ISK 303

$2.31 ₺114

8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 ISK 386

$1.28 ₺63.1

148.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 ISK 767

$1.80 ₺89.0

251.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ISK 469

$0.65 ₺32.16

495.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ISK 205

$0.64 ₺31.91

164.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.69 ISK 447

$1.25 ₺62.1

195.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ISK 220

$0.56 ₺27.58

223.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.80 ISK 1,674

$2.37 ₺118

482.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.94 ISK 2,904

$13.42 ₺664

78.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 ISK 430

$2.40 ₺119

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ISK 416

$3.48 ₺172

-1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.21 ISK 632

$0.89 ₺43.84

485.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 ISK 10.4K

$67.4 ₺3,338

26.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 ISK 798

$1.29 ₺64.1

410.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 ISK 339

$0.92 ₺45.70

204.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.9 ISK 9,810

$10.96 ₺542

637.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 ISK 248

$1.47 ₺72.9

38.78%

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

$51.3K ISK 6.2M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

1.04%

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

$53.3K ISK 6.5M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

19.72%

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

$70.7 ISK 8,571

$88.6 ₺4,387

-20.25%

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

$33.02 ISK 4,005

$11.59 ₺574

184.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 ISK 10.6K

$15.81 ₺783

450.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ISK 7,870

$77.2 ₺3,820

-15.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$17.05 ISK 2,068

$8.14 ₺403

109.46%

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

$1,196 ISK 145.1K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

18.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ISK 3.1M

$25.6K ₺1.3M

0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 ISK 15.0K

$54.0 ₺2,671

129.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.8 ISK 7,980

$40.83 ₺2,021

61.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ISK 15.2K

$98.9 ₺4,895

26.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

$96.6 ₺4,783

161.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,498 ISK 302.9K

$985 ₺48.7K

153.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 ISK 253.1K

$650 ₺32.2K

221.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,226 ISK 391.3K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

62.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 ISK 316.2K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

120.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,085 ISK 859.4K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

125.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,990 ISK 847.8K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

292.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,751 ISK 576.2K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

294.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

40.92

-78.47%

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

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hafnarfjordur

$2.1K 53.8%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 68.9% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Hafnarfjordur

$619 16%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 58% $359

Eating Out

Hafnarfjordur

$500 12.9%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 55.4% $277

Clothing & Footwear

Hafnarfjordur

$255 6.6%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 48.8% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hafnarfjordur

$191 4.9%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 39.2% $75

Getting Around

Hafnarfjordur

$127 3.3%

Istanbul

$77 5% 39.4% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Hafnarfjordur

$99 2.6%

Istanbul

$93 6% 5.6% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,498 in Hafnarfjordur versus $985 in Istanbul. 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 294% 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 $124 in Hafnarfjordur versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $619 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Hafnarfjordur

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

06:20 6:20 AM

3 h ahead of Hafnarfjordur

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,525

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

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).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hafnarfjordur Istanbul 4,120 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Hafnarfjordur
Istanbul

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

Hafnarfjordur vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafnarfjordur costs about 150% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,816 per month in Hafnarfjordur and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,877 in Hafnarfjordur and $1,550 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 150%.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Istanbul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Hafnarfjordur at $3,877. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hafnarfjordur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Istanbul costs $1,550 versus $3,877 in Hafnarfjordur. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Istanbul. 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.