Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Aarau Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Aarau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,048 per month in Reykjavik vs $2,825 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,736 per month in Reykjavik vs $4,712 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,424 per month in Reykjavik vs $6,599 in Aarau, rent included.

Reykjavik costs about 43% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Reykjavik and Aarau sit above the global median – Reykjavik by 195%, Aarau by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.26 ISK 3,667

$30.44 CHF 24.75

-0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$135 ISK 16.4K

$108 CHF 87.9

25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.29 ISK 3,186

$18.92 CHF 15.38

38.95%

Cappuccino

$6.95 ISK 842

$5.89 CHF 4.79

18.00%

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

$3.30 ISK 400

$5.32 CHF 4.32

-37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ISK 406

$4.93 CHF 4.00

-32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.06 ISK 1,704

$6.05 CHF 4.92

132.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.60 ISK 1,527

$6.63 CHF 5.39

90.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 254

$2.10 CHF 1.70

White Bread (500g)

$4.47 ISK 542

$3.92 CHF 3.19

14.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 ISK 436

$2.74 CHF 2.23

31.02%

Eggs

$7.13 ISK 865

$7.61 CHF 6.19

-6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.34 ISK 2,586

$32.31 CHF 26.27

-33.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.37 ISK 2,953

$30.77 CHF 25.02

-20.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.10 ISK 5,102

$41.70 CHF 33.90

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 406

$2.97 CHF 2.42

12.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 ISK 341

$1.81 CHF 1.47

55.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 389

$2.52 CHF 2.05

27.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 ISK 756

$5.92 CHF 4.82

5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 ISK 487

$1.78 CHF 1.45

125.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ISK 206

$2.00 CHF 1.62

-15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.83 ISK 464

$2.31 CHF 1.88

65.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ISK 216

$1.20 CHF 0.97

48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.75 ISK 1,666

$11.34 CHF 9.22

21.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.28 ISK 2,942

$10.40 CHF 8.46

133.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 ISK 460

$2.65 CHF 2.16

43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ISK 418

$3.01 CHF 2.45

14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.81 ISK 704

$5.25 CHF 4.27

10.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.7 ISK 11.2K

$150 CHF 122

-38.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 ISK 829

$7.36 CHF 5.98

-7.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ISK 352

$3.36 CHF 2.73

-13.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.5 ISK 9,033

$63.0 CHF 51.3

18.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 ISK 242

$2.27 CHF 1.85

-11.89%

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

$50.6K ISK 6.1M

$44.2K CHF 36.0K

14.34%

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

$53.4K ISK 6.5M

$40.3K CHF 32.8K

32.49%

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

$89.6 ISK 10.9K

$125 CHF 102

-28.37%

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

$33.11 ISK 4,013

$32.27 CHF 26.24

2.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.1 ISK 10.3K

$57.6 CHF 46.79

47.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.0 ISK 12.0K

$98.9 CHF 80.4

0.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.3 ISK 6,100

$62.0 CHF 50.4

-18.83%

Cinema Ticket

$19.43 ISK 2,354

$22.11 CHF 17.97

-12.12%

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

$1,173 ISK 142.1K

$3,186 CHF 2,590

-63.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.2K ISK 3.8M

$24.8K CHF 20.1K

26.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$161 ISK 19.5K

$92.6 CHF 75.2

73.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 ISK 7,890

$75.1 CHF 61.0

-13.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$183 ISK 22.2K

$112 CHF 90.9

63.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$249 ISK 30.2K

$170 CHF 139

46.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,506 ISK 303.7K

$1,291 CHF 1,049

94.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 ISK 253.5K

$1,049 CHF 853

99.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,408 ISK 413.0K

$2,309 CHF 1,877

47.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,752 ISK 333.5K

$2,179 CHF 1,771

26.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,972 ISK 966.1K

$10.3K CHF 8,414

-22.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,354 ISK 770.0K

$12.2K CHF 9,928

-47.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,606 ISK 558.1K

$7,161 CHF 5,822

-35.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

2.31

284.42%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: August 29, 2026

Last update for Aarau: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,506 in Reykjavik versus $1,291 in Aarau. 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 55% higher in Aarau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $135 in Reykjavik versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $625 vs $616 – making Aarau 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

Reykjavik vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik costs about 43% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,073 per month in Reykjavik and $4,237 in Aarau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 62% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,173 per month in Reykjavik and $3,186 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,048 in Reykjavik and $2,825 in Aarau. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aarau costs $2,825 versus $4,048 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 Aarau. 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.