Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Assis

For one person, living is cheaper in Assis: $862 a month against $4,023 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $37,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Reykjavik
🇮🇸 Iceland
$4,023
/mo nomad
Assis
🇧🇷 Brazil
$862
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Reykjavik and in Assis

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 Assis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,023 in Reykjavik versus $862 in Assis.

  • Reykjavik $4,023
  • Assis $862

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,708 in Reykjavik versus $1,343 in Assis.

  • Reykjavik $5,708
  • Assis $1,343

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,393 in Reykjavik versus $1,825 in Assis.

  • Reykjavik $7,393
  • Assis $1,825

Living in Reykjavik is roughly 366% more expensive than in Assis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Reykjavik is 197% above, Assis is 36% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.00 ISK 3,760
$5.98 R$30.31
418.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123 ISK 14.9K
$23.64 R$120
421.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$27.21 ISK 3,300
$5.92 R$30.03
359.63%
Cappuccino
$6.90 ISK 837
$2.01 R$10.21
243.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 ISK 401
$1.18 R$5.97
179.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 ISK 384
$0.82 R$4.14
285.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.84 ISK 1,678
$1.62 R$8.21
754.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.46 ISK 1,512
$2.02 R$10.24
516.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.06 ISK 250
$1.12 R$5.68
83.93%
White Bread (500g)
$4.11 ISK 498
$1.26 R$6.40
226.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.68 ISK 446
$1.30 R$6.60
183.08%
Eggs
$7.27 ISK 882
$1.53 R$7.74
375.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.79 ISK 2,643
$7.51 R$38.09
190.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$23.95 ISK 2,905
$5.24 R$26.56
357.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.43 ISK 5,025
$8.58 R$43.50
382.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.42 ISK 414
$2.12 R$10.76
61.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.84 ISK 344
$1.17 R$5.92
142.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.23 ISK 391
$1.22 R$6.18
164.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.46 ISK 783
$1.51 R$7.63
327.81%
Potato (1kg)
$4.05 ISK 491
$1.15 R$5.83
252.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 ISK 202
$0.98 R$4.98
69.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.86 ISK 468
$0.91 R$4.62
324.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 ISK 223
$0.97 R$4.92
89.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.96 ISK 1,693
$2.46 R$12.47
467.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.76 ISK 2,882
$6.21 R$31.48
282.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.54 ISK 430
$1.44 R$7.29
145.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 ISK 418
$2.02 R$10.24
70.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.81 ISK 705
$1.01 R$5.09
475.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.3 ISK 11.6K
$44.54 R$226
114.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.72 ISK 815
$2.37 R$12.02
183.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.81 ISK 340
$0.78 R$3.94
260.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$81.3 ISK 9,866
$2.85 R$14.45
2754.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 ISK 257
$1.25 R$6.33
69.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$68.9K ISK 8.4M
$35.3K R$178.8K
95.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$55.8K ISK 6.8M
$32.8K R$166.0K
70.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.8 ISK 11.6K
$86.7 R$439
10.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.11 ISK 4,016
$10.97 R$55.6
201.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.2 ISK 10.6K
$23.00 R$117
278.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$101 ISK 12.3K
$26.07 R$132
287.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$50.7 ISK 6,155
$28.03 R$142
81.02%
Cinema Ticket
$19.85 ISK 2,407
$5.89 R$29.85
237.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,195 ISK 144.9K
$212 R$1,074
463.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.2K ISK 3.2M
$7,614 R$38.6K
244.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$148 ISK 18.0K
$43.34 R$220
242.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.8 ISK 8,096
$58.9 R$299
13.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$187 ISK 22.6K
$86.0 R$436
117.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$253 ISK 30.6K
$60.1 R$305
320.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,579 ISK 312.8K
$359 R$1,817
619.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,080 ISK 252.3K
$243 R$1,234
754.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,455 ISK 419.0K
$677 R$3,432
410.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,752 ISK 333.8K
$471 R$2,385
484.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,933 ISK 962.2K
$1,718 R$8,708
361.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,377 ISK 773.5K
$1,206 R$6,112
428.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Reykjavik
Assis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,695 ISK 569.5K
$594 R$3,011
690.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.81
10.5
-16.10%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: October 20, 2026

Last update for Assis: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Reykjavik
$2.1K
Assis
$243 88.3% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Reykjavik
$619
Assis
$184 70.3% $435
Eating Out
Reykjavik
$532
Assis
$110 79.4% $423
Clothing & Footwear
Reykjavik
$294
Assis
$112 62% $183
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reykjavik
$216
Assis
$121 44.2% $95
Sport & Entertainment
Reykjavik
$141
Assis
$38 73.1% $103
Getting Around
Reykjavik
$139
Assis
$55 60.7% $85

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Reykjavik and $359 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Reykjavik pays 690% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $123 in Reykjavik vs $24.00 in Assis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $619 vs $184 per month, with Assis cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇸 Reykjavik
🇧🇷 Assis
🕒 Local time
22:38 10:38 PM
19:38 7:38 PM
3 h behind Reykjavik
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
136,894 Capital
101,409
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Reykjavik Assis 9,960 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Reykjavik
  • Assis

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 Assis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Assis cheaper than Reykjavik?
Assis is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 366% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Reykjavik or Assis?
Average pay runs 690% higher in Reykjavik, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Reykjavik and Assis?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,579 in Reykjavik versus $359 in Assis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 114% less than in Reykjavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,195 in Reykjavik versus $212 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Reykjavik or in Assis?
At $862 in Assis versus $4,023 in Reykjavik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assis but tight or insufficient in Reykjavik. The gap between the two cities makes Assis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Reykjavik or Assis more family-friendly?
For families, Assis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Reykjavik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Reykjavik or Assis?
Safety-wise, Reykjavik and Assis are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 366% less than in Reykjavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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