Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Kirkjubaejarklaustur Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Kirkjubaejarklaustur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,054 per month in Reykjavik vs $1,728 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,691 per month in Reykjavik vs $2,993 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,329 per month in Reykjavik vs $4,258 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

Reykjavik costs about 135% more than Kirkjubaejarklaustur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Reykjavik and Kirkjubaejarklaustur sit above the global median – Reykjavik by 196%, Kirkjubaejarklaustur by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.01 ISK 3,655

$30.42 ISK 3,706

-1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$134 ISK 16.3K

$139 ISK 16.9K

-3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$27.02 ISK 3,292

$27.14 ISK 3,305

-0.44%

Cappuccino

$7.03 ISK 857

$6.88 ISK 838

2.18%

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

$3.36 ISK 410

$3.28 ISK 400

2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ISK 408

$3.34 ISK 406

0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.80 ISK 1,681

$14.04 ISK 1,710

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.17 ISK 1,482

$12.58 ISK 1,532

-3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ISK 248

$2.12 ISK 258

-4.25%

White Bread (500g)

$4.29 ISK 522

$4.39 ISK 535

-2.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 ISK 428

$3.71 ISK 452

-5.39%

Eggs

$7.13 ISK 869

$7.15 ISK 871

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.15 ISK 2,576

$21.33 ISK 2,598

-0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.14 ISK 3,062

$25.23 ISK 3,073

-0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.98 ISK 5,234

$42.74 ISK 5,206

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ISK 412

$3.44 ISK 419

-1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 ISK 347

$2.82 ISK 343

1.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 ISK 406

$3.19 ISK 388

4.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 ISK 767

$6.55 ISK 798

-3.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 ISK 497

$4.09 ISK 498

-0.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 202

$1.66 ISK 203

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.66 ISK 446

$3.68 ISK 448

-0.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ISK 215

$1.78 ISK 216

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 ISK 1,700

$14.19 ISK 1,728

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.46 ISK 2,858

$23.81 ISK 2,899

-1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.73 ISK 455

$3.87 ISK 471

-3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ISK 425

$3.40 ISK 414

2.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.55 ISK 676

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 ISK 11.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 ISK 799

$6.61 ISK 805

-0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ISK 351

$2.87 ISK 350

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.8 ISK 8,985

$74.6 ISK 9,090

-1.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 ISK 243

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

$50.6K ISK 6.2M

$51.5K ISK 6.3M

-1.74%

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

$54.2K ISK 6.6M

$53.0K ISK 6.5M

2.21%

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

$88.8 ISK 10.8K

$86.7 ISK 10.6K

2.40%

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

$32.93 ISK 4,011

$33.29 ISK 4,055

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 ISK 10.1K

$83.0 ISK 10.1K

0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 ISK 11.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.54 ISK 6,034

Cinema Ticket

$19.82 ISK 2,414

$19.71 ISK 2,400

0.56%

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

$1,213 ISK 147.7K

$1,172 ISK 142.8K

3.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.2K ISK 3.8M

$30.8K ISK 3.7M

1.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$156 ISK 19.0K

$160 ISK 19.5K

-2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.3 ISK 8,076

$65.8 ISK 8,012

0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 ISK 21.7K

$176 ISK 21.5K

1.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$247 ISK 30.1K

$250 ISK 30.5K

-1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,466 ISK 300.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,078 ISK 253.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,438 ISK 418.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 ISK 336.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,085 ISK 984.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,258 ISK 762.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,745 ISK 577.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

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

Last update for Reykjavik: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kirkjubaejarklaustur: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $134 in Reykjavik versus $139 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $627 vs $632 – making Reykjavik 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 Kirkjubaejarklaustur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reykjavik is pricier by about 135%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,080 per month in Reykjavik and $2,592 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $134 in Reykjavik and $139 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Reykjavik – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, where all-in costs run around $1,728, than in Reykjavik at $4,054. In Kirkjubaejarklaustur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kirkjubaejarklaustur – 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 Kirkjubaejarklaustur. 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.