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: $2,826 in Keflavik versus $3,361 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,368 in Keflavik versus $5,408 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,910 in Keflavik versus $7,456 in Saint Helier.

Living in Keflavik costs roughly 16% less than in Saint Helier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Keflavik 110% above, Saint Helier 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.41 ISK 3,039

$37.20 JEP 27.75

-34.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.2K

$138 JEP 103

6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.33 ISK 2,531

$10.90 JEP 8.13

86.51%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ISK 491

$4.90 JEP 3.66

-19.59%

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

$3.13 ISK 390

$3.19 JEP 2.38

-1.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ISK 314

$2.56 JEP 1.91

-1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 ISK 1,011

$8.22 JEP 6.13

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 ISK 1,024

$8.30 JEP 6.19

-0.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ISK 241

$2.17 JEP 1.62

-11.06%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 ISK 517

$2.42 JEP 1.81

71.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 293

$3.45 JEP 2.57

-31.88%

Eggs

$6.18 ISK 769

$5.76 JEP 4.30

7.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.22 ISK 2,268

$9.73 JEP 7.26

87.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.63 ISK 2,942

$11.79 JEP 8.80

100.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.19 ISK 5,377

$19.09 JEP 14.24

126.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 ISK 293

$4.35 JEP 3.24

-45.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 ISK 303

$3.19 JEP 2.38

-23.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ISK 298

$4.37 JEP 3.26

-45.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 ISK 503

$4.28 JEP 3.19

-5.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ISK 378

$3.88 JEP 2.89

-21.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ISK 254

$3.90 JEP 2.91

-47.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 ISK 391

$1.98 JEP 1.48

58.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ISK 243

$2.48 JEP 1.85

-21.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 ISK 1,685

$15.70 JEP 11.71

-13.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 ISK 1,970

$10.87 JEP 8.11

45.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.75 ISK 466

$4.56 JEP 3.40

-17.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ISK 341

$7.35 JEP 5.48

-62.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 ISK 444

$3.13 JEP 2.34

14.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 ISK 9,355

$68.2 JEP 50.9

10.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ISK 804

$5.98 JEP 4.46

7.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 ISK 286

$4.03 JEP 3.00

-42.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.4 ISK 10.6K

$34.30 JEP 25.59

149.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 ISK 308

$2.15 JEP 1.60

14.88%

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

$47.1K ISK 5.9M

$22.1K JEP 16.5K

113.76%

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

$52.8K ISK 6.6M

$33.9K JEP 25.3K

55.52%

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

$86.3 ISK 10.7K

$244 JEP 182

-64.65%

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

$27.46 ISK 3,418

$25.27 JEP 18.85

8.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.8 ISK 10.7K

$75.7 JEP 56.5

13.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JEP 51.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.87 JEP 18.55

Cinema Ticket

$17.45 ISK 2,173

$20.85 JEP 15.56

-16.31%

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

$318 ISK 39.5K

$2,155 JEP 1,607

-85.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ISK 3.8M

$17.4K JEP 12.9K

73.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.4K

$107 JEP 79.7

30.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 ISK 7,790

$73.8 JEP 55.1

-15.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ISK 23.1K

$129 JEP 96.2

43.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ISK 22.9K

$216 JEP 161

-14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ISK 233.6K

$2,042 JEP 1,524

-8.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 ISK 167.3K

$1,629 JEP 1,215

-17.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 ISK 308.2K

$3,969 JEP 2,961

-37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 ISK 254.2K

$3,539 JEP 2,640

-42.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K JEP 8,608

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K JEP 7,505

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 ISK 454.4K

$4,809 JEP 3,588

-24.10%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,877 in Keflavik and $2,042 in Saint Helier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 32% 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 $138 in Saint Helier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $559 vs $424 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 19% 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, Saint Helier earns 32% less. 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: $1,877 in Keflavik versus $2,042 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 $2,155 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 $2,826 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 19% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.