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: $2,873 in Keflavik versus $3,345 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,433 in Keflavik versus $5,483 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,992 in Keflavik versus $7,622 in Saint Helier.

Living in Keflavik costs roughly 14% less than in Saint Helier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Keflavik 115% above, Saint Helier 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.97 ISK 2,935

$36.90 JEP 27.34

-35.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 ISK 18.0K

$133 JEP 98.7

10.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.75 ISK 2,418

$11.00 JEP 8.15

79.55%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ISK 503

$4.86 JEP 3.60

-15.43%

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

$3.12 ISK 382

$3.15 JEP 2.34

-0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ISK 307

$2.58 JEP 1.91

-3.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 ISK 999

$7.93 JEP 5.88

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 ISK 999

$8.35 JEP 6.18

-2.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ISK 240

$2.22 JEP 1.65

-11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 ISK 507

$2.36 JEP 1.75

75.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 303

$3.39 JEP 2.51

-26.84%

Eggs

$6.35 ISK 777

$5.80 JEP 4.30

9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.44 ISK 2,258

$9.36 JEP 6.93

97.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.91 ISK 2,928

$11.61 JEP 8.60

105.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.20 ISK 5,166

$19.00 JEP 14.08

122.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ISK 287

$4.26 JEP 3.16

-44.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 304

$3.18 JEP 2.36

-22.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 ISK 298

$4.32 JEP 3.20

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ISK 483

$4.18 JEP 3.09

-5.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 393

$3.84 JEP 2.85

-16.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 ISK 248

$3.92 JEP 2.91

-48.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 ISK 377

$2.09 JEP 1.55

47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ISK 238

$2.38 JEP 1.77

-18.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.45 ISK 1,646

$15.85 JEP 11.75

-15.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 ISK 1,974

$10.81 JEP 8.01

49.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 ISK 454

$4.51 JEP 3.34

-17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ISK 343

$7.60 JEP 5.63

-63.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 ISK 432

$3.08 JEP 2.28

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 ISK 9,164

$68.3 JEP 50.6

9.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ISK 765

$6.18 JEP 4.58

0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 ISK 281

$3.83 JEP 2.84

-39.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.2 ISK 10.4K

$33.65 JEP 24.94

153.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 ISK 313

$2.22 JEP 1.64

15.32%

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

$47.2K ISK 5.8M

$22.0K JEP 16.3K

114.63%

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

$52.6K ISK 6.4M

$34.0K JEP 25.2K

54.72%

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

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

$247 JEP 183

-64.61%

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

$27.94 ISK 3,421

$25.41 JEP 18.83

9.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 ISK 10.6K

$75.9 JEP 56.2

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 JEP 51.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.48 JEP 18.14

Cinema Ticket

$17.88 ISK 2,190

$20.66 JEP 15.31

-13.46%

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

$319 ISK 39.1K

$2,133 JEP 1,580

-85.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

$17.3K JEP 12.8K

74.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 ISK 16.7K

$110 JEP 81.5

24.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 ISK 7,513

$72.8 JEP 53.9

-15.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 ISK 21.9K

$126 JEP 93.7

41.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 ISK 22.9K

$216 JEP 160

-13.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 ISK 223.6K

$2,046 JEP 1,516

-10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 ISK 163.0K

$1,627 JEP 1,206

-18.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 ISK 303.8K

$3,992 JEP 2,958

-37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 ISK 246.0K

$3,487 JEP 2,584

-42.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.2K JEP 8,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K JEP 7,810

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,701 ISK 453.2K

$4,803 JEP 3,559

-22.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Keflavik and $2,046 in Saint Helier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 30% 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 $133 in Saint Helier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 vs $420 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 16% 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 30% 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: $1,826 in Keflavik versus $2,046 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 $319 in Keflavik versus $2,133 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 $2,873 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 16% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.