Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Saint Helier Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Saint Helier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,853 in Keflavik versus $3,417 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,401 in Keflavik versus $5,465 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,949 in Keflavik versus $7,513 in Saint Helier.

Living in Keflavik costs roughly 17% less than in Saint Helier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Keflavik 114% above, Saint Helier 157% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.97 ISK 2,962

$37.81 JEP 28.13

-36.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 ISK 17.7K

$137 JEP 102

4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.29 ISK 2,508

$11.07 JEP 8.24

83.29%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ISK 488

$5.12 JEP 3.81

-22.85%

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

$3.18 ISK 393

$3.18 JEP 2.36

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ISK 312

$2.56 JEP 1.91

-1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 ISK 983

$8.35 JEP 6.21

-4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 ISK 1,011

$8.32 JEP 6.19

-1.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ISK 231

$2.26 JEP 1.68

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 ISK 517

$2.39 JEP 1.78

74.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ISK 293

$3.44 JEP 2.56

-31.10%

Eggs

$6.43 ISK 795

$5.89 JEP 4.38

9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.22 ISK 2,252

$9.60 JEP 7.15

89.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.11 ISK 2,980

$11.73 JEP 8.73

105.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.82 ISK 5,292

$19.00 JEP 14.14

125.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 291

$4.44 JEP 3.30

-47.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 302

$3.18 JEP 2.36

-23.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ISK 291

$4.31 JEP 3.21

-45.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 ISK 494

$4.23 JEP 3.15

-5.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 ISK 378

$3.94 JEP 2.93

-22.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 ISK 249

$3.75 JEP 2.79

-46.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 ISK 392

$2.00 JEP 1.49

58.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ISK 239

$2.37 JEP 1.76

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.80 ISK 1,706

$15.28 JEP 11.37

-9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 ISK 1,965

$10.57 JEP 7.86

50.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 ISK 462

$4.65 JEP 3.46

-19.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ISK 349

$7.40 JEP 5.51

-61.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 ISK 454

$3.04 JEP 2.26

20.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 ISK 9,183

$67.3 JEP 50.1

10.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 ISK 787

$6.16 JEP 4.58

3.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 ISK 279

$3.93 JEP 2.92

-42.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.4 ISK 10.7K

$33.70 JEP 25.07

156.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.43 ISK 300

$2.23 JEP 1.66

8.97%

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

$47.5K ISK 5.9M

$22.1K JEP 16.5K

114.89%

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

$52.0K ISK 6.4M

$34.6K JEP 25.8K

50.21%

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

$86.6 ISK 10.7K

$240 JEP 179

-63.95%

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

$27.84 ISK 3,441

$25.50 JEP 18.97

9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 ISK 10.7K

$76.3 JEP 56.8

13.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 JEP 52.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.71 JEP 18.38

Cinema Ticket

$17.61 ISK 2,177

$21.02 JEP 15.64

-16.22%

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

$318 ISK 39.3K

$2,198 JEP 1,635

-85.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K ISK 3.7M

$17.2K JEP 12.8K

72.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 ISK 17.4K

$108 JEP 80.4

30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 ISK 7,766

$71.9 JEP 53.5

-12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 ISK 22.3K

$128 JEP 95.1

40.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 ISK 23.2K

$213 JEP 159

-12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 ISK 226.0K

$1,988 JEP 1,479

-8.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 ISK 166.8K

$1,630 JEP 1,213

-17.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 ISK 301.8K

$3,948 JEP 2,937

-38.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 ISK 248.1K

$3,559 JEP 2,648

-43.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K JEP 8,532

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K JEP 7,529

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,712 ISK 458.9K

$4,558 JEP 3,391

-18.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

3.85

150.13%

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

Last update for Keflavik: July 26, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,829 in Keflavik and $1,988 in Saint Helier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 23% 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: $143 in Keflavik vs $137 in Saint Helier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 vs $423 per month, with Saint Helier 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 Saint Helier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Keflavik wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Saint Helier. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Keflavik the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Saint Helier. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,829 in Keflavik versus $1,988 in Saint Helier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Keflavik runs roughly 10% less than in Saint Helier. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $318 in Keflavik versus $2,198 in Saint Helier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Keflavik is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Keflavik delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,853 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Keflavik hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Keflavik and Saint Helier 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 Keflavik gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.