Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafnarfjordur and Selfoss

For one person, living is cheaper in Selfoss: $3,416 a month against $3,853 in Hafnarfjordur, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. The total is higher in Hafnarfjordur despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Hafnarfjordur
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Hafnarfjordur Living Index

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Hafnarfjordur

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,853

/mo nomad

Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,416

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hafnarfjordur and in Selfoss

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

A single person spends $3,853 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $3,416 in Selfoss, rent included.

Hafnarfjordur $3,853
Selfoss $3,416

A couple spends around $5,410 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $2,439 in Selfoss, rent included.

Hafnarfjordur $5,410
Selfoss $2,439

A family of three spends $6,967 per month in Hafnarfjordur vs $1,461 in Selfoss, rent included.

Hafnarfjordur $6,967
Selfoss $1,461

Hafnarfjordur costs about 13% more than Selfoss, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hafnarfjordur and Selfoss sit above the global median – Hafnarfjordur by 183%, Selfoss by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 ISK 3,768

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 ISK 15.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.40 ISK 1,991

$20.39 ISK 2,475

-19.57%

Cappuccino

$6.71 ISK 814

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

$3.33 ISK 405

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ISK 382

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.02 ISK 1,703

$12.18 ISK 1,478

15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.11 ISK 1,470

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ISK 203

$1.77 ISK 215

-5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.21 ISK 511

$7.65 ISK 929

-44.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 ISK 450

$4.55 ISK 552

-18.46%

Eggs

$7.26 ISK 881

$6.49 ISK 787

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.51 ISK 2,611

$17.25 ISK 2,094

24.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.40 ISK 2,962

$21.56 ISK 2,617

13.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.76 ISK 5,070

$33.60 ISK 4,078

24.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ISK 394

$2.83 ISK 343

14.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 301

$2.70 ISK 328

-8.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ISK 388

$2.72 ISK 330

17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 ISK 779

$7.25 ISK 880

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 ISK 477

$3.24 ISK 394

21.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 ISK 200

$2.07 ISK 252

-20.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.69 ISK 448

$3.70 ISK 449

-0.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ISK 221

$1.34 ISK 163

35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.04 ISK 1,705

$15.61 ISK 1,895

-10.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.05 ISK 2,920

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 ISK 428

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ISK 411

$1.15 ISK 140

193.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.10 ISK 620

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 ISK 10.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 ISK 840

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.84 ISK 345

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.8 ISK 9,811

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 ISK 243

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

$68.7K ISK 8.3M

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

$55.8K ISK 6.8M

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

$69.4 ISK 8,419

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

$32.65 ISK 3,964

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 ISK 10.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 ISK 7,900

Cinema Ticket

$17.08 ISK 2,073

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

$1,172 ISK 142.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K ISK 3.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 ISK 15.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 ISK 8,150

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ISK 15.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$246 ISK 29.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 ISK 303.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ISK 251.8K

$2,771 ISK 336.4K

-25.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,232 ISK 392.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 ISK 324.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,011 ISK 851.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,014 ISK 851.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,674 ISK 567.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

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

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: October 24, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hafnarfjordur

$2.1K 53.8%

Selfoss

–

Groceries & Markets

Hafnarfjordur

$615 16%

Selfoss

–

Eating Out

Hafnarfjordur

$498 12.9%

Selfoss

–

Clothing & Footwear

Hafnarfjordur

$253 6.6%

Selfoss

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hafnarfjordur

$187 4.9%

Selfoss

–

Getting Around

Hafnarfjordur

$127 3.3%

Selfoss

–

Sport & Entertainment

Hafnarfjordur

$99 2.6%

Selfoss

–

Good to know

🇮🇸 Hafnarfjordur

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🕒 Local time

12:36 12:36 PM

Same time as Hafnarfjordur

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,525

9,000

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Hafnarfjordur Selfoss 49 km

From you

Hafnarfjordur
Selfoss

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 Selfoss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafnarfjordur costs about 13% more than Selfoss, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,780 per month in Hafnarfjordur and $5,124 in Selfoss. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,853 in Hafnarfjordur and $3,416 in Selfoss. That makes Selfoss about 11% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Hafnarfjordur, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,853 in Hafnarfjordur and $3,416 in Selfoss. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Hafnarfjordur has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,416 in Selfoss to $3,853 in Hafnarfjordur. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.