Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Hafnarfjordur Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Hafnarfjordur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $3,667 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $5,242 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $6,816 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Mexico City is about 60% cheaper than Hafnarfjordur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Hafnarfjordur sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Hafnarfjordur by 174%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$26.49 ISK 3,243

-51.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$145 ISK 17.7K

-63.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$15.93 ISK 1,950

-38.98%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$6.21 ISK 760

-39.61%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$3.37 ISK 413

-53.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$2.63 ISK 322

-57.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$12.82 ISK 1,569

-75.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$11.07 ISK 1,356

-57.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.61 ISK 198

0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$4.26 ISK 521

-36.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$3.70 ISK 453

-49.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$6.29 ISK 770

-60.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$18.50 ISK 2,265

-45.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$24.21 ISK 2,965

-65.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$42.07 ISK 5,151

-71.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.24 ISK 396

-11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.40 ISK 294

-27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$3.00 ISK 367

-30.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$4.93 ISK 603

-60.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.51 ISK 430

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.32 ISK 285

-6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$3.16 ISK 386

-56.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.93 ISK 237

-41.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$13.78 ISK 1,687

-69.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$22.71 ISK 2,781

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$3.71 ISK 454

-52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.32 ISK 406

10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$5.00 ISK 612

-92.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$83.2 ISK 10.2K

-77.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$6.31 ISK 772

-77.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$2.61 ISK 319

-88.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

-93.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$2.51 ISK 308

-46.22%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$47.6K ISK 5.8M

-60.32%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$52.6K ISK 6.4M

-55.96%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$69.6 ISK 8,521

-41.34%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$27.48 ISK 3,365

0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$84.3 ISK 10.3K

-63.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$63.1 ISK 7,729

-15.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$16.36 ISK 2,003

-61.67%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$318 ISK 38.9K

37.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

-65.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$120 ISK 14.7K

-52.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$60.6 ISK 7,421

-26.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$121 ISK 14.8K

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$263 ISK 32.3K

-59.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$2,442 ISK 299.1K

-59.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$2,047 ISK 250.7K

-69.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$3,209 ISK 393.0K

-33.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$2,523 ISK 308.9K

-51.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$6,916 ISK 846.8K

-44.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$7,027 ISK 860.4K

-66.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$4,789 ISK 586.4K

-77.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.63

17.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $2,442 in Hafnarfjordur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 349% higher in Hafnarfjordur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $145 in Hafnarfjordur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $590 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mexico City vs Hafnarfjordur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafnarfjordur costs about 147% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $5,501 in Hafnarfjordur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $3,667 in Hafnarfjordur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 346% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Hafnarfjordur at $3,667. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hafnarfjordur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,484 versus $3,667 in Hafnarfjordur. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hafnarfjordur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.