Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Akureyri

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $3,106 in Akureyri, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Akureyri, Iceland
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Akureyri
🇮🇸 Iceland
$3,106
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Akureyri

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Akureyri actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $3,106 in Akureyri, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Akureyri $3,106

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $4,176 in Akureyri, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Akureyri $4,176

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $5,246 in Akureyri, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Akureyri $5,246

Lisbon is about 29% cheaper than Akureyri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lisbon and Akureyri sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Akureyri by 128%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$24.94 ISK 3,028
-33.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$129 ISK 15.6K
-52.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$22.63 ISK 2,748
-49.80%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$5.04 ISK 611
-41.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$3.35 ISK 406
-31.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.99 ISK 363
-41.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$11.22 ISK 1,362
-69.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$9.62 ISK 1,168
-65.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$2.77 ISK 337
-58.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.32 ISK 282
-17.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.14 ISK 382
-51.91%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$7.65 ISK 928
-47.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$15.85 ISK 1,925
-18.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$24.82 ISK 3,013
-68.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.92 ISK 354
-40.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.45 ISK 419
-46.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$6.08 ISK 738
-57.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$13.71 ISK 1,664
-52.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.59 ISK 314
-15.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$41.3K ISK 5.0M
-17.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$65.2K ISK 7.9M
-40.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$121 ISK 14.7K
33.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$25.21 ISK 3,061
-26.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$165 ISK 20.0K
-80.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$84.3 ISK 10.2K
-47.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$15.53 ISK 1,885
-38.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$367 ISK 44.6K
81.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$80.8 ISK 9,810
26.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$122 ISK 14.8K
-19.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,835 ISK 222.7K
-12.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$1,833 ISK 222.5K
-35.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$2,186 ISK 265.4K
-7.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$6,596 ISK 800.8K
18.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$6,483 ISK 787.1K
-29.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Akureyri
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
9.4
-59.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Akureyri: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Akureyri
–
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Akureyri
–
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Akureyri
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Akureyri
–
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Akureyri
–
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Akureyri
–
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Akureyri
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,835 in Akureyri. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $129 in Akureyri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $327 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇸 Akureyri
🕒 Local time
06:09 6:09 AM
06:09 6:09 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
19,219
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Akureyri 3,050 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Akureyri

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Lisbon vs Akureyri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lisbon cheaper than Akureyri?
Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 41%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $4,659 in Akureyri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,608 there versus $1,835 in Akureyri.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Akureyri?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $129 in Akureyri. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Akureyri?
Groceries cost about 20% more in Akureyri, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Akureyri?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,210, than in Akureyri at $3,106. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,210 versus $3,106 in Akureyri. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Akureyri?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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