🙂A single person spends $1,700 per month in Iceland vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,544 per month in Iceland vs $3,217 in Australia, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,388 per month in Iceland vs $4,249 in Australia, rent included.
🙂Iceland is roughly 22% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Both Iceland and Australia are pricier than the global median – Iceland by 27%, Australia by 63%.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.43ISK 3,236
$16.24A$22.73
62.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$128ISK 15.6K
$77.1A$108
65.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$20.13ISK 2,464
$9.81A$13.74
105.20%
Cappuccino
$5.87ISK 718
$3.58A$5.01
63.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28ISK 402
$2.57A$3.60
27.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67ISK 328
$2.18A$3.05
22.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$12.00ISK 1,470
$6.63A$9.28
81.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.43ISK 1,277
$7.12A$9.97
46.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.95ISK 239
$1.50A$2.10
30.00%
White Bread(500g)
$4.06ISK 497
$2.53A$3.54
60.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.53ISK 433
$2.07A$2.90
70.53%
Eggs
$6.58ISK 806
$4.29A$6.01
53.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.58ISK 2,275
$8.65A$12.11
114.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$24.52ISK 3,002
$8.34A$11.68
194.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$43.10ISK 5,277
$13.90A$19.47
210.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.09ISK 379
$3.30A$4.61
-6.36%
Banana(1kg)
$2.51ISK 307
$2.77A$3.88
-9.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.88ISK 353
$2.95A$4.13
-2.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.09ISK 623
$4.19A$5.87
21.48%
Potato(1kg)
$3.67ISK 449
$2.42A$3.39
51.65%
Onion(1kg)
$2.21ISK 271
$2.10A$2.94
5.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.10ISK 380
$2.26A$3.16
37.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.20ISK 270
$1.50A$2.10
46.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.24ISK 1,744
$31.58A$44.22
-54.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.19ISK 2,717
$14.29A$20.00
55.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.63ISK 444
$4.59A$6.42
-20.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19ISK 390
$4.82A$6.75
-33.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$5.25ISK 643
$3.02A$4.22
73.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$82.7ISK 10.1K
$98.3A$138
-15.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.40ISK 784
$3.48A$4.88
83.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.28ISK 279
$1.75A$2.45
30.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$84.4ISK 10.3K
$37.97A$53.2
122.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.57ISK 314
$1.21A$1.69
112.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.6KISK 5.8M
$29.0KA$40.6K
63.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$53.3KISK 6.5M
$22.6KA$31.6K
136.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.2ISK 11.0K
$177A$248
-49.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.42ISK 3,357
$26.85A$37.59
2.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$84.9ISK 10.4K
$52.4A$73.4
62.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$80.8ISK 9,887
$47.57A$66.6
69.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.31ISK 4,568
$16.46A$23.04
126.67%
Cinema Ticket
$17.42ISK 2,133
$13.73A$19.23
26.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$357ISK 43.7K
$1,593A$2,231
-77.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$29.6KISK 3.6M
$12.7KA$17.8K
132.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$138ISK 16.9K
$72.0A$101
91.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.9ISK 7,700
$51.3A$71.8
22.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$173ISK 21.2K
$103A$144
67.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$250ISK 30.6K
$108A$152
130.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,237ISK 273.9K
$1,401A$1,961
59.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,997ISK 244.6K
$1,080A$1,512
84.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,228ISK 395.3K
$2,340A$3,276
37.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,684ISK 328.6K
$1,756A$2,459
52.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,656ISK 937.4K
$7,733A$10.8K
-0.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,336ISK 775.8K
$5,563A$7,788
13.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iceland
Australia
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,681ISK 573.1K
$4,000A$5,600
17.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.88
6.35
55.59%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Iceland: April 28, 2026
Última actualización para Australia: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $536 in Iceland vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,244 in Reykjavik and $1,529 in Canberra.
💰Average salary: $4,953 in Iceland vs $3,878 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 130% higher in Australia.
⭐Public transport is 253% more expensive in Australia.
⭐Salaries are 28% higher in Iceland, giving Iceland stronger purchasing power.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Iceland vs Australia: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Australia more expensive than Iceland?
Iceland is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 16% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Iceland, contributing to the overall 16% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget in Australia or Iceland?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Iceland, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Iceland?
Iceland is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.
Iceland vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado