Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafnarfjordur and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $3,853 in Hafnarfjordur, rent and utilities included – about $26,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
Mexico City, Mexico
Hafnarfjordur
🇮🇸 Iceland
$3,853
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hafnarfjordur and in Mexico City

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 Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,853 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $1,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Hafnarfjordur $3,853
  • Mexico City $1,608

A couple spends around $5,410 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $2,549 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Hafnarfjordur $5,410
  • Mexico City $2,549

A family of three spends $6,967 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $3,490 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Hafnarfjordur $6,967
  • Mexico City $3,490

Hafnarfjordur costs about 140% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hafnarfjordur and Mexico City sit above the global median – Hafnarfjordur by 183%, Mexico City by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.04 ISK 3,768
$10.62 MX$200
192.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$125 ISK 15.1K
$48.35 MX$909
158.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.40 ISK 1,991
$10.35 MX$194
58.45%
Cappuccino
$6.71 ISK 814
$3.69 MX$69.4
81.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 ISK 405
$1.67 MX$31.32
99.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 ISK 382
$1.27 MX$23.78
147.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$14.02 ISK 1,703
$3.19 MX$60.0
339.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.11 ISK 1,470
$5.31 MX$99.7
128.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 ISK 203
$1.72 MX$32.41
-2.91%
White Bread (500g)
$4.21 ISK 511
$3.04 MX$57.1
38.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.71 ISK 450
$1.94 MX$36.48
91.24%
Eggs
$7.26 ISK 881
$2.89 MX$54.3
151.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.51 ISK 2,611
$10.97 MX$206
96.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.40 ISK 2,962
$9.25 MX$174
163.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.76 ISK 5,070
$15.13 MX$284
176.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 ISK 394
$3.05 MX$57.3
6.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.48 ISK 301
$1.94 MX$36.48
27.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.19 ISK 388
$2.03 MX$38.06
57.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.41 ISK 779
$2.31 MX$43.50
177.49%
Potato (1kg)
$3.93 ISK 477
$2.04 MX$38.25
92.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 ISK 200
$1.80 MX$33.83
-8.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.69 ISK 448
$1.48 MX$27.80
149.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ISK 221
$1.27 MX$23.82
43.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.04 ISK 1,705
$5.30 MX$99.7
164.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.05 ISK 2,920
$16.10 MX$303
49.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.53 ISK 428
$1.98 MX$37.27
78.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 ISK 411
$4.25 MX$79.9
-20.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.10 ISK 620
$0.31 MX$5.73
1545.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.0 ISK 10.3K
$19.73 MX$371
330.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.92 ISK 840
$1.84 MX$34.53
276.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.84 ISK 345
$0.53 MX$10.03
435.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$80.8 ISK 9,811
$5.30 MX$99.5
1424.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 ISK 243
$1.51 MX$28.39
32.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$68.7K ISK 8.3M
$21.8K MX$408.8K
215.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$55.8K ISK 6.8M
$24.0K MX$450.8K
132.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.4 ISK 8,419
$63.0 MX$1,184
10.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.65 ISK 3,964
$27.39 MX$515
19.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.0 ISK 10.3K
$35.67 MX$670
138.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.1 ISK 7,900
$58.9 MX$1,108
10.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.64 MX$444
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.08 ISK 2,073
$6.40 MX$120
166.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,172 ISK 142.3K
$432 MX$8,111
171.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.9K ISK 3.1M
$11.4K MX$214.7K
126.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$125 ISK 15.1K
$68.2 MX$1,282
82.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.1 ISK 8,150
$53.1 MX$999
26.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 ISK 15.1K
$108 MX$2,026
15.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$246 ISK 29.9K
$117 MX$2,204
110.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,496 ISK 303.1K
$1,113 MX$20.9K
124.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 ISK 251.8K
$710 MX$13.4K
192.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,232 ISK 392.3K
$2,588 MX$48.6K
24.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,670 ISK 324.2K
$1,406 MX$26.4K
89.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,011 ISK 851.1K
$3,631 MX$68.2K
93.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,014 ISK 851.6K
$2,135 MX$40.1K
228.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hafnarfjordur
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,674 ISK 567.4K
$946 MX$17.8K
393.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.81
11.35
-22.38%

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

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: October 24, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hafnarfjordur
$2.1K
Mexico City
$710 65.8% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Hafnarfjordur
$615
Mexico City
$320 48% $295
Eating Out
Hafnarfjordur
$498
Mexico City
$199 60.1% $300
Clothing & Footwear
Hafnarfjordur
$253
Mexico City
$156 38.4% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hafnarfjordur
$187
Mexico City
$126 32.6% $61
Getting Around
Hafnarfjordur
$127
Mexico City
$25 79.9% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Hafnarfjordur
$99
Mexico City
$72 27.7% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,496 in Hafnarfjordur versus $1,113 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 in Hafnarfjordur are about 4.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $125 in Hafnarfjordur versus $48 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $615 vs $320 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇸 Hafnarfjordur
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
05:36 5:36 AM
23:36 11:36 PM
6 h behind Hafnarfjordur
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,525
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hafnarfjordur Mexico City 7,450 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hafnarfjordur
  • Mexico City

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hafnarfjordur or Mexico City?
Hafnarfjordur costs about 140% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hafnarfjordur and in Mexico City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,780 per month in Hafnarfjordur and $2,412 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Hafnarfjordur or Mexico City?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,113 there versus $2,496 in Hafnarfjordur.
How much does it cost to live in Hafnarfjordur compared to Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,853 in Hafnarfjordur and $1,608 in Mexico City. That makes Mexico City about 58% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Hafnarfjordur compared to Mexico City?
Public transport costs about 77% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Hafnarfjordur or in Mexico City?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,608, than in Hafnarfjordur at $3,853. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hafnarfjordur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Hafnarfjordur or to Mexico City?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hafnarfjordur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Hafnarfjordur vs other spots: cost of living compared

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