Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Akureyri

For one person, living is cheaper in Hella: $1,723 a month against $3,106 in Akureyri, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Akureyri outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Hella
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Hella Living Index

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Hella

🇮🇸 Iceland

$1,723

/mo nomad

Akureyri

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,106

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hella and in Akureyri

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

A single person spends $1,723 per month in Hella vs $3,106 in Akureyri, rent included.

Hella $1,723
Akureyri $3,106

A couple spends around $2,927 per month in Hella vs $4,170 in Akureyri, rent included.

Hella $2,927
Akureyri $4,170

A family of three spends $4,131 per month in Hella vs $5,234 in Akureyri, rent included.

Hella $4,131
Akureyri $5,234

Hella is about 45% cheaper than Akureyri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Hella and Akureyri sit above the global median – Hella by 27%, Akureyri by 130%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.22 ISK 3,790

$24.19 ISK 2,937

29.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 ISK 14.7K

$131 ISK 15.9K

-7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$27.24 ISK 3,307

$22.90 ISK 2,780

18.95%

Cappuccino

$6.89 ISK 836

$4.90 ISK 595

40.61%

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

$3.25 ISK 395

$3.50 ISK 425

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ISK 374

$3.12 ISK 379

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.16 ISK 1,719

$11.08 ISK 1,346

27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.30 ISK 1,493

$9.18 ISK 1,114

33.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ISK 243

$2.76 ISK 335

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 ISK 522

$2.40 ISK 291

79.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 ISK 444

$3.05 ISK 370

20.00%

Eggs

$7.27 ISK 883

$7.90 ISK 959

-7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.85 ISK 2,652

$15.82 ISK 1,921

38.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.10 ISK 2,925

$24.51 ISK 2,975

-1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.15 ISK 4,995

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ISK 408

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 ISK 343

$2.93 ISK 355

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 390

$3.50 ISK 425

-8.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.56 ISK 797

$5.94 ISK 721

10.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ISK 475

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ISK 205

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.64 ISK 442

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ISK 223

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 ISK 1,696

$13.66 ISK 1,658

2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.32 ISK 2,832

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 ISK 445

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ISK 423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ISK 821

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 ISK 333

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.8 ISK 9,805

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 255

$2.53 ISK 307

-17.00%

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

$67.9K ISK 8.2M

$41.2K ISK 5.0M

64.67%

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

$56.3K ISK 6.8M

$65.9K ISK 8.0M

-14.62%

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

$96.8 ISK 11.8K

$125 ISK 15.2K

-22.70%

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

$32.49 ISK 3,944

$25.95 ISK 3,150

25.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 ISK 10.3K

$164 ISK 19.9K

-48.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.2 ISK 10.3K

Cinema Ticket

$19.81 ISK 2,405

$15.66 ISK 1,902

26.50%

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

$1,205 ISK 146.3K

$372 ISK 45.2K

223.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ISK 3.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$150 ISK 18.2K

$82.2 ISK 9,978

82.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 ISK 8,105

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ISK 22.4K

$122 ISK 14.8K

51.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 ISK 219.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 ISK 222.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 ISK 263.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,673 ISK 810.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 ISK 782.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

9.4

-6.28%

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

Last update for Hella: November 2, 2026

Last update for Akureyri: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Hella

$619 35.9%

Akureyri

–

Eating Out

Hella

$535 31.1%

Akureyri

–

Clothing & Footwear

Hella

$294 17.1%

Akureyri

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hella

$214 12.4%

Akureyri

–

Sport & Entertainment

Hella

$40 * 2.3%

Akureyri

–

Getting Around

Hella

$20 * 1.2%

Akureyri

–

Accommodation & Living

Hella

- * 0%

Akureyri

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Hella versus $131 in Akureyri. Groceries tell a different story – $619 in Hella vs $327 in Akureyri – so Akureyri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Hella

🇮🇸 Akureyri

🕒 Local time

21:21 9:21 PM

Same time as Hella

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

900

19,219

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.37 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Hella Akureyri 230 km

From you

Hella
Akureyri

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

Hella vs Akureyri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 80%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,584 per month in Hella and $4,658 in Akureyri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Hella and $131 in Akureyri. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Akureyri – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hella, where all-in costs run around $1,723, than in Akureyri at $3,106. In Hella it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Akureyri has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,723 in Hella to $3,106 in Akureyri. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.