Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,826 in Keflavik versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,368 in Keflavik versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,910 in Keflavik versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Keflavik is roughly 25% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Keflavik 110% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.41 ISK 3,039

$15.94 €13.73

53.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.2K

$63.4 €54.6

131.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.33 ISK 2,531

$10.38 €8.95

95.86%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ISK 491

$2.79 €2.40

41.22%

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

$3.13 ISK 390

$2.34 €2.01

33.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ISK 314

$1.57 €1.35

61.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 ISK 1,011

$3.43 €2.95

136.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 ISK 1,024

$3.91 €3.37

110.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 241

$1.08 €0.93

78.70%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 ISK 517

$1.77 €1.52

134.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 293

$1.71 €1.47

37.43%

Eggs

$6.18 ISK 769

$3.15 €2.71

96.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.22 ISK 2,268

$13.68 €11.79

33.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.63 ISK 2,942

$8.01 €6.90

195.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.19 ISK 5,377

$15.52 €13.37

178.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 ISK 293

$2.29 €1.98

3.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 ISK 303

$1.64 €1.41

48.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ISK 298

$1.94 €1.67

23.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ISK 503

$2.51 €2.17

60.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 378

$1.79 €1.54

69.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ISK 254

$2.01 €1.73

1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 ISK 391

$1.97 €1.69

59.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ISK 243

$0.84 €0.73

132.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 ISK 1,685

$6.79 €5.85

99.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 ISK 1,970

$5.67 €4.89

179.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.75 ISK 466

$1.39 €1.20

169.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ISK 341

$3.02 €2.60

-9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 ISK 444

$2.27 €1.95

57.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 ISK 9,355

$45.44 €39.15

65.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ISK 804

$4.29 €3.70

50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 ISK 286

$0.85 €0.73

170.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.4 ISK 10.6K

$18.28 €15.75

367.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 ISK 308

$1.99 €1.71

24.12%

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

$47.1K ISK 5.9M

$35.0K €30.2K

34.58%

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

$52.8K ISK 6.6M

$39.5K €34.1K

33.42%

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

$86.3 ISK 10.7K

$146 €126

-40.96%

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

$27.46 ISK 3,418

$20.45 €17.62

34.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

$38.98 €33.58

120.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$17.45 ISK 2,173

$9.52 €8.21

83.30%

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

$318 ISK 39.5K

$608 €524

-47.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ISK 3.8M

$16.5K €14.2K

82.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.4K

$104 €89.5

34.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 ISK 7,790

$42.12 €36.29

48.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ISK 23.1K

$92.2 €79.5

100.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ISK 22.9K

$120 €103

53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ISK 233.6K

$1,621 €1,397

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 ISK 167.3K

$1,268 €1,092

5.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 ISK 308.2K

$3,048 €2,626

-18.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 ISK 254.2K

$2,009 €1,731

1.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ISK 454.4K

$1,585 €1,366

130.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

3.81

152.76%

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

Last update for Keflavik: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,877 in Keflavik and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 130% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $147 in Keflavik vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $559 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Keflavik. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Keflavik pays 130% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,877 in Keflavik versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 65% less than in Keflavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $318 in Keflavik versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,263 in Lisbon versus $2,826 in Keflavik, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Keflavik. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,263 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Keflavik and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.