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: $3,069 in Keflavik versus $3,426 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,595 in Keflavik versus $5,205 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,122 in Keflavik versus $6,984 in Saint Helier.

Living in Keflavik costs roughly 10% less than in Saint Helier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Keflavik 124% above, Saint Helier 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.41 ISK 2,974

$41.09 JEP 30.49

-40.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 ISK 16.7K

$121 JEP 89.4

13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.50 ISK 2,497

$10.94 JEP 8.12

87.39%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ISK 489

$4.83 JEP 3.58

-16.98%

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

$3.22 ISK 392

$3.38 JEP 2.51

-4.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ISK 408

$2.50 JEP 1.85

34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.49 ISK 1,035

$8.33 JEP 6.18

1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.34 ISK 1,016

$6.29 JEP 4.67

32.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ISK 246

$2.31 JEP 1.72

-12.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 ISK 526

$2.78 JEP 2.07

55.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 ISK 292

$3.69 JEP 2.74

-34.96%

Eggs

$6.45 ISK 785

$6.47 JEP 4.80

-0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 ISK 2,336

$7.35 JEP 5.45

160.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.88 ISK 2,909

$12.07 JEP 8.95

97.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.74 ISK 5,206

$18.39 JEP 13.64

132.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 297

$4.30 JEP 3.19

-43.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 ISK 293

$3.62 JEP 2.69

-33.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 297

$4.29 JEP 3.18

-43.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 ISK 515

$4.50 JEP 3.34

-6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 ISK 387

$3.24 JEP 2.40

-1.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 ISK 203

$3.17 JEP 2.35

-47.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.84 ISK 468

$1.91 JEP 1.42

101.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ISK 224

$2.57 JEP 1.91

-28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 ISK 1,738

$20.52 JEP 15.22

-30.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.28 ISK 1,983

$10.86 JEP 8.05

49.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.83 ISK 467

$4.64 JEP 3.44

-17.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ISK 345

$7.85 JEP 5.82

-63.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 ISK 439

$3.29 JEP 2.44

9.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.8 ISK 9,470

$69.4 JEP 51.5

12.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 ISK 796

$5.41 JEP 4.02

20.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 ISK 330

$2.58 JEP 1.91

5.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.5 ISK 9,196

$54.2 JEP 40.23

39.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 ISK 234

$2.10 JEP 1.56

-8.57%

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

$51.7K ISK 6.3M

$27.4K JEP 20.3K

88.53%

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

$54.7K ISK 6.7M

$36.7K JEP 27.2K

48.98%

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

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

$331 JEP 246

-73.56%

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

$33.19 ISK 4,043

$46.21 JEP 34.29

-28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 ISK 10.3K

$74.2 JEP 55.1

14.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.0 ISK 9,620

$78.0 JEP 57.9

1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.28 JEP 20.98

Cinema Ticket

$19.65 ISK 2,393

$20.05 JEP 14.87

-2.00%

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

$415 ISK 50.5K

$2,290 JEP 1,699

-81.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K ISK 3.8M

$12.1K JEP 8,942

155.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$158 ISK 19.3K

$107 JEP 79.6

47.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 ISK 8,042

$74.7 JEP 55.4

-11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 ISK 21.5K

$124 JEP 91.9

42.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 ISK 23.2K

$208 JEP 154

-8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 ISK 228.3K

$1,873 JEP 1,390

0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 ISK 163.2K

$1,600 JEP 1,187

-16.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 ISK 304.7K

$3,448 JEP 2,559

-27.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ISK 255.3K

$2,782 JEP 2,064

-24.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K JEP 8,700

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K JEP 7,827

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,786 ISK 461.1K

$4,642 JEP 3,445

-18.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

4.08

117.65%

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

Last update for Keflavik: September 14, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,875 in Keflavik and $1,873 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: $137 in Keflavik vs $121 in Saint Helier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $569 vs $427 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 12% 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: $1,875 in Keflavik versus $1,873 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 12% less than in Saint Helier. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $415 in Keflavik versus $2,290 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 $3,069 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 12% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.