Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Berlin

For one person, living is cheaper in Berlin: $2,551 a month against $2,992 in Keflavik, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. The total is higher in Keflavik despite lower rent and utilities.

Keflavik
🇮🇸 Iceland
$2,992
/mo nomad
Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,551
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Keflavik and in Berlin

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

A single person spends $2,992 per month in Keflavik vs $2,551 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Keflavik $2,992
  • Berlin $2,551

A couple spends around $4,538 per month in Keflavik vs $3,845 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Keflavik $4,538
  • Berlin $3,845

A family of three spends $6,084 per month in Keflavik vs $5,139 in Berlin, rent included.

  • Keflavik $6,084
  • Berlin $5,139

Keflavik costs about 17% more than Berlin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Keflavik and Berlin sit above the global median – Keflavik by 122%, Berlin by 89%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.71 ISK 2,997
$16.65 €14.81
48.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$124 ISK 15.0K
$76.7 €68.2
61.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$20.40 ISK 2,475
$13.47 €11.98
51.45%
Cappuccino
$4.06 ISK 493
$4.37 €3.89
-7.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ISK 386
$3.48 €3.09
-8.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ISK 387
$3.12 €2.77
2.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.00 ISK 970
$5.34 €4.75
49.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.34 ISK 1,012
$4.39 €3.91
89.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.10 ISK 255
$1.27 €1.13
65.35%
White Bread (500g)
$4.23 ISK 513
$2.33 €2.08
81.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ISK 307
$3.40 €3.02
-25.59%
Eggs
$6.32 ISK 767
$4.50 €4.00
40.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.06 ISK 2,311
$16.78 €14.93
13.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.38 ISK 2,958
$11.91 €10.59
104.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.25 ISK 5,003
$17.90 €15.92
130.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.48 ISK 301
$3.46 €3.07
-28.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.51 ISK 304
$1.95 €1.73
28.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.44 ISK 296
$3.26 €2.90
-25.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.01 ISK 486
$3.71 €3.30
8.09%
Potato (1kg)
$3.20 ISK 388
$2.10 €1.87
52.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 ISK 206
$2.09 €1.86
-18.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.84 ISK 465
$1.42 €1.27
170.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ISK 215
$0.95 €0.84
87.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.97 ISK 1,695
$10.44 €9.29
33.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.58 ISK 2,012
$6.58 €5.85
151.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.61 ISK 438
$1.27 €1.13
184.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 ISK 356
$2.08 €1.85
41.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.68 ISK 446
$4.34 €3.86
-15.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.6 ISK 9,407
$71.6 €63.7
8.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.63 ISK 804
$5.26 €4.68
26.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.58 ISK 312
$3.09 €2.75
-16.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$80.2 ISK 9,727
$36.34 €32.32
120.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.10 ISK 255
$2.31 €2.05
-9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.1K ISK 6.1M
$32.4K €28.8K
54.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.7K ISK 6.6M
$38.6K €34.3K
41.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ISK 11.5K
$382 €340
-75.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.29 ISK 4,038
$18.83 €16.75
76.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.0 ISK 10.3K
$48.57 €43.20
75.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$78.5 ISK 9,526
$40.21 €35.76
95.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.90 €31.04
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.48 ISK 2,363
$15.73 €14.00
23.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$407 ISK 49.3K
$142 €126
187.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.7K ISK 3.1M
$15.8K €14.0K
62.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$152 ISK 18.4K
$95.4 €84.8
59.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.4 ISK 7,934
$46.32 €41.20
41.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$182 ISK 22.0K
$104 €92.4
74.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$191 ISK 23.1K
$143 €128
33.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,896 ISK 230.0K
$1,469 €1,306
29.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,329 ISK 161.2K
$1,114 €991
19.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,516 ISK 305.1K
$2,751 €2,447
-8.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,061 ISK 250.0K
$2,107 €1,875
-2.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$8,454 €7,520
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,435 €4,834
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Keflavik
Berlin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,752 ISK 455.0K
$3,543 €3,151
5.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.81
3.8
131.84%

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

Last update for Keflavik: October 12, 2026

Last update for Berlin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Keflavik
$1.3K
Berlin
$1.1K 16.1% $215
Groceries & Markets
Keflavik
$566
Berlin
$343 39.4% $223
Eating Out
Keflavik
$390
Berlin
$288 26.1% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Keflavik
$265
Berlin
$175 34% $90
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Keflavik
$213
Berlin
$449 111% $236
Sport & Entertainment
Keflavik
$118
Berlin
$72 39% $46
Getting Around
Keflavik
$112
Berlin
$110 1.9% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,896 in Keflavik versus $1,469 in Berlin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Keflavik, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Keflavik versus $77.0 in Berlin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $566 vs $343 – making Berlin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇸 Keflavik
🇩🇪 Berlin
🕒 Local time
00:16 12:16 AM
02:16 2:16 AM
2 h ahead of Keflavik
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,000
3,769,962 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Keflavik Berlin 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Keflavik
  • Berlin

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
Keflavik vs Berlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berlin cheaper than Keflavik?
Yes – Keflavik is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,488 per month in Keflavik and $3,826 in Berlin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Berlin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Keflavik and in Berlin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,992 in Keflavik and $2,551 in Berlin. That's a gap of about 17%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 8% less in Berlin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Keflavik or in Berlin?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,992 in Keflavik and $2,551 in Berlin. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Keflavik or Berlin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Berlin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Keflavik or Berlin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Berlin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Keflavik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Keflavik vs other spots: cost of living compared

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