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: $2,873 in Keflavik versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,433 in Keflavik versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,992 in Keflavik versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Keflavik is roughly 29% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Keflavik 115% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.97 ISK 2,935

$16.17 €13.84

48.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.0K

$64.6 €55.3

127.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.75 ISK 2,418

$10.38 €8.88

90.27%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ISK 503

$2.77 €2.37

48.38%

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

$3.12 ISK 382

$2.25 €1.92

38.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ISK 307

$1.57 €1.35

59.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 ISK 999

$3.49 €2.99

133.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 ISK 999

$4.00 €3.43

104.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ISK 240

$1.08 €0.93

81.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 ISK 507

$1.74 €1.49

137.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 303

$1.74 €1.49

42.53%

Eggs

$6.35 ISK 777

$3.18 €2.72

99.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.44 ISK 2,258

$13.43 €11.50

37.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.91 ISK 2,928

$7.99 €6.84

199.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.20 ISK 5,166

$16.09 €13.77

162.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 287

$2.28 €1.95

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 304

$1.72 €1.48

44.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 ISK 298

$1.94 €1.66

25.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ISK 483

$2.54 €2.18

55.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 393

$1.83 €1.57

75.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 ISK 248

$2.04 €1.75

-0.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 ISK 377

$1.98 €1.69

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ISK 238

$0.85 €0.73

128.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.45 ISK 1,646

$6.85 €5.87

96.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 ISK 1,974

$5.78 €4.94

178.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 ISK 454

$1.37 €1.18

170.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ISK 343

$2.90 €2.48

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 ISK 432

$2.28 €1.95

54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 ISK 9,164

$46.84 €40.10

59.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ISK 765

$4.08 €3.49

52.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 ISK 281

$0.82 €0.70

180.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.2 ISK 10.4K

$18.27 €15.64

366.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 ISK 313

$2.01 €1.72

27.36%

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

$47.2K ISK 5.8M

$35.3K €30.2K

33.84%

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

$52.6K ISK 6.4M

$38.5K €32.9K

36.56%

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

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

$145 €124

-39.79%

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

$27.94 ISK 3,421

$20.96 €17.94

33.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 ISK 10.6K

$40.05 €34.29

115.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$17.88 ISK 2,190

$9.06 €7.76

97.35%

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

$319 ISK 39.1K

$607 €519

-47.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

$16.3K €14.0K

85.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 ISK 16.7K

$105 €89.6

30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 ISK 7,513

$40.95 €35.06

49.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ISK 21.9K

$93.6 €80.1

90.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 ISK 22.9K

$119 €101

57.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 ISK 223.6K

$1,604 €1,373

13.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 ISK 163.0K

$1,236 €1,058

7.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 ISK 303.8K

$3,046 €2,607

-18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 ISK 246.0K

$2,057 €1,761

-2.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,701 ISK 453.2K

$1,584 €1,356

133.65%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Keflavik and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 134% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 vs $271 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 29% 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 134% 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: $1,826 in Keflavik versus $1,604 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 60% less than in Keflavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $319 in Keflavik versus $607 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,873 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 $2,227 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 29% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.