Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $46,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

193

Cost of Living Index in Reykjavik
Learn more

Reykjavik Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
Learn more

Arica Living Index

Jump to prices

Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,002

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$111

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Reykjavik and in Arica

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

A single person spends $4,002 per month in Reykjavik vs $111 in Arica, rent included.

Reykjavik $4,002
Arica $111

A couple spends around $5,705 per month in Reykjavik vs $178 in Arica, rent included.

Reykjavik $5,705
Arica $178

A family of three spends $7,407 per month in Reykjavik vs $246 in Arica, rent included.

Reykjavik $7,407
Arica $246

Reykjavik costs about 3513% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Reykjavik sits 196% above the global median, while Arica is 92% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.56 ISK 3,834

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 ISK 14.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.86 ISK 3,263

Cappuccino

$6.81 ISK 828

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

$3.39 ISK 411

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ISK 389

$1.25 CLP 1,230

156.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.14 ISK 1,717

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.31 ISK 1,495

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 255

$1.01 CLP 992

107.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 ISK 509

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 ISK 452

Eggs

$7.05 ISK 857

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.56 ISK 2,619

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.68 ISK 2,998

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.19 ISK 5,125

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ISK 393

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ISK 332

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ISK 385

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 ISK 804

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ISK 467

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 201

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 ISK 462

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ISK 212

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 ISK 1,665

Wine (Bottle)

$24.21 ISK 2,942

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 ISK 429

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ISK 403

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.75 ISK 698

$0.70 CLP 691

721.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 ISK 11.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ISK 804

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ISK 352

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.2 ISK 9,617

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ISK 254

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)

$95.3 ISK 11.6K

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

$32.35 ISK 3,929

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.5 ISK 10.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 ISK 12.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 ISK 6,083

Cinema Ticket

$19.88 ISK 2,415

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

$40.20 CLP 39.6K

270.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 ISK 8,093

$20.59 CLP 20.3K

223.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 ISK 21.9K

$53.9 CLP 53.1K

233.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$253 ISK 30.8K

$91.7 CLP 90.3K

176.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 ISK 309.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 ISK 249.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,498 ISK 424.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 ISK 335.7K

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

$504 CLP 496.1K

807.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

76.20%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: October 12, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.4%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Reykjavik

$623 15.6%

Arica

$10 * 9.1% 98.4% $613

Eating Out

Reykjavik

$536 13.4%

Arica

$5 * 4.5% 99.1% $531

Clothing & Footwear

Reykjavik

$292 7.3%

Arica

$93 83.9% 68.2% $199

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Reykjavik

$215 5.4%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Reykjavik

$142 3.5%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Reykjavik

$138 3.5%

Arica

$2.8 * 2.5% 98% $135

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 808% higher in Reykjavik, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

09:34 9:34 AM

06:34 6:34 AM

3 h behind Reykjavik

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

136,894 Capital

202,131

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.35 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.15 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

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).

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).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Reykjavik Arica 10,070 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Reykjavik
Arica

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

Reykjavik vs Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,002 in Reykjavik, $111 in Arica – roughly 3513% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,003 per month in Reykjavik and $166 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,002 in Reykjavik and $111 in Arica. That's a gap of about 3513%.

Groceries cost about 6083% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Reykjavik at $4,002. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Reykjavik has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $111 in Arica to $4,002 in Reykjavik. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arica. 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.