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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $3,743 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $5,243 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $6,742 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Mexico City is about 61% cheaper than Hafnarfjordur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Hafnarfjordur sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Hafnarfjordur by 181%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$228

$26.51 ISK 3,277

-50.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$927

$145 ISK 18.0K

-63.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$16.15 ISK 1,997

-42.23%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.1

$5.95 ISK 735

-37.82%

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

$1.60 MX$27.80

$3.26 ISK 403

-50.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.37

$2.61 ISK 323

-57.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$12.64 ISK 1,562

-75.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.0

$11.36 ISK 1,404

-57.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.65

$1.69 ISK 209

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.02

$4.31 ISK 532

-37.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$3.56 ISK 440

-46.35%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.87

$6.21 ISK 767

-58.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$18.06 ISK 2,232

-45.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$23.82 ISK 2,944

-64.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$43.07 ISK 5,324

-72.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$3.35 ISK 414

-11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.15

$2.34 ISK 289

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.43

$3.14 ISK 388

-35.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.69

$5.03 ISK 622

-59.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.25

$3.67 ISK 453

-41.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$2.40 ISK 296

-5.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.01

$3.07 ISK 380

-54.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.92 ISK 237

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.1

$13.77 ISK 1,703

-69.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$23.38 ISK 2,890

-25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.62

$3.64 ISK 450

-53.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.9

$3.21 ISK 397

13.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

$5.19 ISK 642

-93.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

$83.2 ISK 10.3K

-76.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$6.47 ISK 800

-78.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.52 ISK 312

-88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.4

$85.7 ISK 10.6K

-93.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.53

$2.45 ISK 303

-44.49%

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

$19.1K MX$331.0K

$46.5K ISK 5.7M

-58.90%

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

$23.6K MX$409.0K

$52.0K ISK 6.4M

-54.63%

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

$40.53 MX$702

$69.5 ISK 8,589

-41.68%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$27.05 ISK 3,344

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$86.3 ISK 10.7K

-64.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$905

$64.1 ISK 7,917

-18.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$16.45 ISK 2,033

-62.37%

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

$425 MX$7,365

$321 ISK 39.7K

32.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.0K

$30.1K ISK 3.7M

-64.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,010

$118 ISK 14.6K

-50.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$772

$60.9 ISK 7,527

-26.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$121 ISK 15.0K

-14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$271 ISK 33.4K

-59.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$2,379 ISK 294.1K

-57.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$2,013 ISK 248.8K

-69.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$3,196 ISK 395.0K

-33.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$2,588 ISK 319.9K

-52.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.7K

$6,883 ISK 850.7K

-44.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

$6,652 ISK 822.2K

-68.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$4,538 ISK 560.9K

-76.82%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $2,379 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 331% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $145 in Hafnarfjordur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $593 – 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 154% 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $5,615 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 $1,472 in Mexico City and $3,743 in Hafnarfjordur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 331% 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 $1,472, than in Hafnarfjordur at $3,743. 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 $1,472 versus $3,743 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.