Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Reykjavik

For one person, living is cheaper in Los Ángeles: $925 a month against $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $36,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Los Ángeles
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Los Ángeles Living Index
193

Cost of Living Index in Reykjavik
Learn more

Reykjavik Living Index

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Los Ángeles

🇨🇱 Chile

$925

/mo nomad

Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,002

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Los Ángeles and in Reykjavik

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Los Ángeles vs $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Los Ángeles $925
Reykjavik $4,002

A couple spends around $1,378 per month in Los Ángeles vs $5,705 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Los Ángeles $1,378
Reykjavik $5,705

A family of three spends $1,831 per month in Los Ángeles vs $7,407 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Los Ángeles $1,831
Reykjavik $7,407

Los Ángeles is about 77% cheaper than Reykjavik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Los Ángeles sits 32% below the global median, while Reykjavik is 196% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.46 CLP 12.3K

$31.56 ISK 3,834

-60.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.23 CLP 24.8K

$122 ISK 14.9K

-79.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 CLP 10.0K

$26.86 ISK 3,263

-62.14%

Cappuccino

$2.03 CLP 1,996

$6.81 ISK 828

-70.19%

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

$1.50 CLP 1,474

$3.39 ISK 411

-55.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 CLP 1,542

$3.20 ISK 389

-50.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 CLP 2,437

$14.14 ISK 1,717

-82.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CLP 2,998

$12.31 ISK 1,495

-75.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CLP 1,189

$2.10 ISK 255

-42.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 CLP 2,756

$4.19 ISK 509

-33.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 CLP 2,939

$3.72 ISK 452

-19.89%

Eggs

$4.33 CLP 4,269

$7.05 ISK 857

-38.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 CLP 7,928

$21.56 ISK 2,619

-62.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.69 CLP 10.5K

$24.68 ISK 2,998

-56.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 CLP 14.0K

$42.19 ISK 5,125

-66.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 CLP 2,587

$3.23 ISK 393

-18.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,582

$2.73 ISK 332

-41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 CLP 2,673

$3.17 ISK 385

-14.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 CLP 2,248

$6.61 ISK 804

-65.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,483

$3.85 ISK 467

-60.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,570

$1.66 ISK 201

-4.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 CLP 1,416

$3.80 ISK 462

-62.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 CLP 1,083

$1.75 ISK 212

-37.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 CLP 5,586

$13.71 ISK 1,665

-58.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.27 CLP 4,203

$24.21 ISK 2,942

-82.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CLP 978

$3.53 ISK 429

-71.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ISK 403

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 CLP 488

$5.75 ISK 698

-91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 ISK 11.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 CLP 2,032

$6.61 ISK 804

-68.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ISK 352

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.2 ISK 9,617

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CLP 1,245

$2.09 ISK 254

-39.71%

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

$51.0K ISK 6.2M

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

$53.3K ISK 6.5M

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

$123 CLP 120.9K

$95.3 ISK 11.6K

28.81%

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

$32.35 ISK 3,929

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.82 CLP 20.5K

$87.5 ISK 10.6K

-76.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.7 CLP 79.5K

$102 ISK 12.4K

-20.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.27 CLP 10.1K

$50.1 ISK 6,083

-79.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 CLP 4,355

$19.88 ISK 2,415

-77.77%

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

$1,194 ISK 145.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ISK 3.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 ISK 18.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 ISK 8,093

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 ISK 21.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$253 ISK 30.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 CLP 269.6K

$2,549 ISK 309.7K

-89.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 CLP 224.2K

$2,056 ISK 249.8K

-88.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 CLP 435.3K

$3,498 ISK 424.9K

-87.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 CLP 331.6K

$2,764 ISK 335.7K

-87.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,120 ISK 986.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,254 ISK 759.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,573 ISK 555.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: October 12, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Los Ángeles

$275 * 29.7%

Reykjavik

$623 15.6% 127% $348

Accommodation & Living

Los Ángeles

$228 24.6%

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.4% 803% $1.8K

Eating Out

Los Ángeles

$185 20%

Reykjavik

$536 13.4% 190% $351

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Los Ángeles

$144 * 15.5%

Reykjavik

$215 5.4% 49.9% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Los Ángeles

$90 9.7%

Reykjavik

$142 3.5% 58.2% $52

Getting Around

Los Ángeles

$4 * 0.4%

Reykjavik

$138 3.5% 3314% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Los Ángeles

- * 0%

Reykjavik

$292 7.3%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $274 in Los Ángeles versus $2,549 in Reykjavik. 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 $25.00 in Los Ángeles versus $122 in Reykjavik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $623 – making Los Ángeles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Los Ángeles

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🕒 Local time

02:56 2:56 AM

05:56 5:56 AM

3 h ahead of Los Ángeles

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

143,023

136,894 Capital

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.15 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.35 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 985 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,103 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.35 EUR).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Los Ángeles Reykjavik 12,130 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Los Ángeles
Reykjavik

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

Los Ángeles vs Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik costs about 333% more than Los Ángeles, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in Los Ángeles and $6,003 in Reykjavik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Los Ángeles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Los Ángeles and $4,002 in Reykjavik. That's a gap of about 333%.

Groceries cost about 127% more in Reykjavik, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Reykjavik at $4,002. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Ángeles costs $925 versus $4,002 in Reykjavik. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Los Ángeles. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reykjavik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.