Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Contagem

For one person, living is cheaper in Contagem: $788 a month against $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $38,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

193

Cost of Living Index in Reykjavik
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Reykjavik Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Contagem
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Contagem Living Index

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Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,002

/mo nomad

Contagem

🇧🇷 Brazil

$788

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Reykjavik and in Contagem

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

A single person spends $4,002 per month in Reykjavik vs $788 in Contagem, rent included.

Reykjavik $4,002
Contagem $788

A couple spends around $5,705 per month in Reykjavik vs $1,272 in Contagem, rent included.

Reykjavik $5,705
Contagem $1,272

A family of three spends $7,407 per month in Reykjavik vs $1,755 in Contagem, rent included.

Reykjavik $7,407
Contagem $1,755

Reykjavik costs about 408% more than Contagem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Reykjavik sits 196% above the global median, while Contagem is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.56 ISK 3,828

$6.06 R$30.73

420.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 ISK 14.8K

$30.50 R$155

301.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.86 ISK 3,258

$7.32 R$37.10

266.94%

Cappuccino

$6.81 ISK 827

$1.76 R$8.93

286.93%

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

$3.39 ISK 411

$1.42 R$7.19

138.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ISK 388

$0.58 R$2.96

451.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.14 ISK 1,715

$1.32 R$6.69

971.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.31 ISK 1,493

$2.57 R$13.05

378.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 255

$1.00 R$5.09

110.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 ISK 508

$1.84 R$9.34

127.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 ISK 451

$1.37 R$6.94

171.53%

Eggs

$7.05 ISK 856

$1.98 R$10.06

256.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.56 ISK 2,615

$10.07 R$51.1

114.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.68 ISK 2,993

$3.47 R$17.61

611.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.19 ISK 5,117

$7.50 R$38.03

462.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ISK 392

$1.91 R$9.69

69.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ISK 331

$1.17 R$5.91

133.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ISK 384

$0.94 R$4.75

237.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 ISK 802

$1.67 R$8.48

295.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ISK 467

$1.09 R$5.53

253.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 201

$0.99 R$5.00

67.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 ISK 461

$0.85 R$4.33

347.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ISK 212

$0.82 R$4.14

113.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 ISK 1,662

$1.64 R$8.31

735.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.21 ISK 2,937

$6.04 R$30.61

300.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 ISK 428

$1.02 R$5.18

246.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ISK 402

$1.37 R$6.94

142.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.75 ISK 697

$1.50 R$7.61

283.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 ISK 11.4K

$80.1 R$406

17.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ISK 802

$1.19 R$6.04

455.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ISK 352

$0.79 R$3.99

267.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.2 ISK 9,602

$6.28 R$31.84

1160.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ISK 253

$1.32 R$6.67

58.33%

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

$51.0K ISK 6.2M

$23.5K R$119.3K

116.83%

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

$53.3K ISK 6.5M

$31.6K R$160.4K

68.41%

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

$95.3 ISK 11.6K

$76.2 R$386

25.08%

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

$32.35 ISK 3,923

$10.11 R$51.3

219.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.5 ISK 10.6K

$19.26 R$97.7

354.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 ISK 12.4K

$26.55 R$135

283.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 ISK 6,074

$23.62 R$120

112.02%

Cinema Ticket

$19.88 ISK 2,412

$7.31 R$37.04

171.96%

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

$1,194 ISK 144.8K

$144 R$732

727.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ISK 3.1M

$2,630 R$13.3K

865.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 ISK 18.1K

$61.6 R$312

142.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 ISK 8,080

$49.74 R$252

33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 ISK 21.8K

$68.6 R$348

162.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$253 ISK 30.7K

$48.25 R$245

424.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 ISK 309.2K

$232 R$1,174

1000.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 ISK 249.4K

$158 R$798

1205.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,498 ISK 424.2K

$488 R$2,475

616.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 ISK 335.2K

$334 R$1,693

727.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,120 ISK 984.9K

$1,991 R$10.1K

307.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,254 ISK 758.5K

$1,015 R$5,146

516.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,573 ISK 554.6K

$261 R$1,324

1651.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

10.67

-17.43%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: October 12, 2026

Last update for Contagem: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.4%

Contagem

$158 20% 92.3% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Reykjavik

$623 15.6%

Contagem

$179 22.7% 71.3% $444

Eating Out

Reykjavik

$536 13.4%

Contagem

$111 14.1% 79.2% $425

Clothing & Footwear

Reykjavik

$292 7.3%

Contagem

$103 13% 64.8% $189

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Reykjavik

$215 5.4%

Contagem

$106 13.4% 50.9% $110

Sport & Entertainment

Reykjavik

$142 3.5%

Contagem

$41 5.2% 70.9% $100

Getting Around

Reykjavik

$138 3.5%

Contagem

$91 11.6% 33.9% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,549 in Reykjavik versus $232 in Contagem. 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 1651% higher in Reykjavik, 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 $122 in Reykjavik versus $31.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $623 vs $179 – making Contagem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🇧🇷 Contagem

🕒 Local time

11:50 11:50 AM

08:50 8:50 AM

3 h behind Reykjavik

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

136,894 Capital

621,863

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Reykjavik Contagem 9,540 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Reykjavik
Contagem

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 Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reykjavik is pricier by about 408%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,003 per month in Reykjavik and $1,183 in Contagem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 17% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,194 per month in Reykjavik and $144 in Contagem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Reykjavik at $4,002. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Contagem. 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.