Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Reykjavik

For one person, living is cheaper in Hella: $1,723 a month against $4,031 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $27,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

82

Cost of Living Index in Hella
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Hella Living Index
193

Cost of Living Index in Reykjavik
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Reykjavik Living Index

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Hella

🇮🇸 Iceland

$1,723

/mo nomad

Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,031

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hella and in Reykjavik

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

A single person spends $1,723 per month in Hella vs $4,031 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Hella $1,723
Reykjavik $4,031

A couple spends around $2,927 per month in Hella vs $5,731 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Hella $2,927
Reykjavik $5,731

A family of three spends $4,131 per month in Hella vs $7,431 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Hella $4,131
Reykjavik $7,431

Hella is about 57% cheaper than Reykjavik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Hella and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Hella by 27%, Reykjavik by 198%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.22 ISK 3,793

$30.60 ISK 3,718

2.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 ISK 14.7K

$122 ISK 14.9K

-0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$27.24 ISK 3,310

$27.27 ISK 3,313

-0.11%

Cappuccino

$6.89 ISK 837

$6.90 ISK 838

-0.14%

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

$3.25 ISK 395

$3.39 ISK 412

-4.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ISK 375

$3.18 ISK 387

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.16 ISK 1,721

$14.10 ISK 1,713

0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.30 ISK 1,495

$12.44 ISK 1,511

-1.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ISK 243

$2.05 ISK 249

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 ISK 522

$4.36 ISK 529

-1.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 ISK 444

$3.62 ISK 440

1.10%

Eggs

$7.27 ISK 883

$7.06 ISK 857

2.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.85 ISK 2,654

$21.58 ISK 2,622

1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.10 ISK 2,928

$24.14 ISK 2,933

-0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.15 ISK 4,999

$41.47 ISK 5,039

-0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ISK 408

$3.06 ISK 371

9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 ISK 343

$2.81 ISK 342

0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 390

$3.15 ISK 383

1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.56 ISK 798

$6.41 ISK 779

2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ISK 475

$3.98 ISK 484

-1.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ISK 205

$1.65 ISK 200

2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.64 ISK 442

$3.73 ISK 453

-2.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ISK 223

$1.75 ISK 213

4.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 ISK 1,697

$13.94 ISK 1,694

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.32 ISK 2,834

$23.99 ISK 2,915

-2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 ISK 445

$3.67 ISK 446

-0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ISK 424

$3.46 ISK 421

0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.75 ISK 699

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.5 ISK 11.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ISK 821

$7.15 ISK 868

-5.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 ISK 334

$3.69 ISK 448

-25.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.8 ISK 9,813

$97.7 ISK 11.9K

-17.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 255

$2.00 ISK 243

5.00%

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

$67.9K ISK 8.2M

$68.0K ISK 8.3M

-0.15%

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

$56.3K ISK 6.8M

$55.8K ISK 6.8M

0.81%

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

$96.8 ISK 11.8K

$96.9 ISK 11.8K

-0.02%

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

$32.49 ISK 3,948

$32.89 ISK 3,996

-1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 ISK 10.3K

$89.6 ISK 10.9K

-5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.0 ISK 12.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.0 ISK 6,191

Cinema Ticket

$19.81 ISK 2,407

$19.75 ISK 2,400

0.30%

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

$1,205 ISK 146.4K

$1,203 ISK 146.2K

0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ISK 3.1M

$18.6K ISK 2.3M

36.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$150 ISK 18.2K

$151 ISK 18.3K

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 ISK 8,112

$64.9 ISK 7,880

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ISK 22.5K

$183 ISK 22.3K

0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.6K

$255 ISK 31.0K

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,615 ISK 317.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 ISK 253.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,535 ISK 429.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,796 ISK 339.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,182 ISK 994.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ISK 763.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,790 ISK 581.9K

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 Hella: November 2, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Hella

$619 35.9%

Reykjavik

$618 15.3% 0.2% $1.3

Eating Out

Hella

$535 31.1%

Reykjavik

$531 13.2% 0.7% $3.8

Clothing & Footwear

Hella

$294 17.1%

Reykjavik

$294 7.3% 0.1% $0.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hella

$214 12.4%

Reykjavik

$219 5.4% 2.3% $4.9

Sport & Entertainment

Hella

$40 * 2.3%

Reykjavik

$138 3.4% 250% $99

Getting Around

Hella

$20 * 1.2%

Reykjavik

$144 3.6% 603% $124

Accommodation & Living

Hella

- * 0%

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.7%

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 $122 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $619 in Hella vs $618 in Reykjavik – so Reykjavik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Hella

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🕒 Local time

04:56 4:56 AM

Same time as Hella

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

900

136,894 Capital

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.36 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hella Reykjavik 83 km

From you

Hella
Reykjavik

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 Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,723 in Hella, $4,031 in Reykjavik – Hella comes out roughly 57% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,584 per month in Hella and $6,046 in Reykjavik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,723 in Hella and $4,031 in Reykjavik. That makes Hella about 57% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,205 per month in Hella and $1,203 in Reykjavik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hella, where all-in costs run around $1,723, than in Reykjavik at $4,031. In Hella it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Reykjavik has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,723 in Hella to $4,031 in Reykjavik. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.