Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafnarfjordur and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafnarfjordur and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,743 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,243 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,742 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Hafnarfjordur costs about 154% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hafnarfjordur and Mexico City sit above the global median – Hafnarfjordur by 181%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.51 ISK 3,277

$13.14 MX$228

101.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 ISK 18.0K

$53.5 MX$927

171.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 ISK 1,997

$9.33 MX$162

73.10%

Cappuccino

$5.95 ISK 735

$3.70 MX$64.1

60.81%

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

$3.26 ISK 403

$1.60 MX$27.80

103.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ISK 323

$1.12 MX$19.37

133.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.64 ISK 1,562

$3.14 MX$54.4

302.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.36 ISK 1,404

$4.85 MX$84.0

134.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ISK 209

$1.65 MX$28.65

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 ISK 532

$2.71 MX$47.02

59.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 ISK 440

$1.91 MX$33.07

86.39%

Eggs

$6.21 ISK 767

$2.59 MX$44.87

139.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.06 ISK 2,232

$9.81 MX$170

84.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.82 ISK 2,944

$8.43 MX$146

182.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.07 ISK 5,324

$11.93 MX$207

261.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 414

$2.95 MX$51.2

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ISK 289

$1.74 MX$30.15

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 ISK 388

$2.04 MX$35.43

53.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 ISK 622

$2.06 MX$35.69

144.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 ISK 453

$2.15 MX$37.25

70.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 ISK 296

$2.26 MX$39.08

6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 ISK 380

$1.39 MX$24.01

120.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ISK 237

$1.12 MX$19.34

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 ISK 1,703

$4.22 MX$73.1

226.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.38 ISK 2,890

$17.51 MX$303

33.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 ISK 450

$1.71 MX$29.62

112.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ISK 397

$3.63 MX$62.9

-11.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.19 ISK 642

$0.35 MX$6.11

1382.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 ISK 10.3K

$19.32 MX$335

330.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 ISK 800

$1.38 MX$23.84

368.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 ISK 312

$0.28 MX$4.78

800.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 ISK 10.6K

$5.28 MX$91.4

1523.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 ISK 303

$1.36 MX$23.53

80.15%

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

$46.5K ISK 5.7M

$19.1K MX$331.0K

143.32%

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

$52.0K ISK 6.4M

$23.6K MX$409.0K

120.42%

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

$69.5 ISK 8,589

$40.53 MX$702

71.45%

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

$27.05 ISK 3,344

$27.38 MX$474

-1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.3 ISK 10.7K

$30.38 MX$526

183.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ISK 7,917

$52.2 MX$905

22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

Cinema Ticket

$16.45 ISK 2,033

$6.19 MX$107

165.75%

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

$321 ISK 39.7K

$425 MX$7,365

-24.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K ISK 3.7M

$10.7K MX$186.0K

180.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 ISK 14.6K

$58.3 MX$1,010

103.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 ISK 7,527

$44.57 MX$772

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ISK 15.0K

$103 MX$1,793

17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$271 ISK 33.4K

$109 MX$1,884

148.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 ISK 294.1K

$1,014 MX$17.6K

134.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 ISK 248.8K

$623 MX$10.8K

223.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,196 ISK 395.0K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 ISK 319.9K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

111.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,883 ISK 850.7K

$3,792 MX$65.7K

81.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,652 ISK 822.2K

$2,110 MX$36.6K

215.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,538 ISK 560.9K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

331.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

11.34

-15.08%

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

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,379 in Hafnarfjordur versus $1,014 in Mexico City. 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 331% 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 $145 in Hafnarfjordur versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $593 vs $293 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafnarfjordur costs about 154% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,615 per month in Hafnarfjordur and $2,208 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, 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 $3,743 in Hafnarfjordur and $1,472 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 331% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,472, than in Hafnarfjordur at $3,743. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hafnarfjordur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,472 versus $3,743 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 Mexico City. 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.