Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Macaé

For one person, living is cheaper in Macaé: $885 a month against $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $37,400 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
43

Cost of Living Index in Macaé
Learn more

Macaé Living Index

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Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,002

/mo nomad

Macaé

🇧🇷 Brazil

$885

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Reykjavik and in Macaé

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,002 in Reykjavik versus $885 in Macaé.

Reykjavik $4,002
Macaé $885

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,705 in Reykjavik versus $1,498 in Macaé.

Reykjavik $5,705
Macaé $1,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,407 in Reykjavik versus $2,111 in Macaé.

Reykjavik $7,407
Macaé $2,111

Living in Reykjavik is roughly 352% more expensive than in Macaé, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Reykjavik is 196% above, Macaé is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.56 ISK 3,828

$5.49 R$27.83

474.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 ISK 14.8K

$30.40 R$154

302.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.86 ISK 3,258

$7.09 R$35.95

278.84%

Cappuccino

$6.81 ISK 827

$1.70 R$8.63

300.59%

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

$3.39 ISK 411

$1.41 R$7.15

140.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ISK 388

$0.59 R$2.99

442.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.14 ISK 1,715

$1.24 R$6.26

1040.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.31 ISK 1,493

$2.75 R$13.93

347.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 255

$0.97 R$4.91

116.49%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 ISK 508

$1.53 R$7.73

173.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 ISK 451

$1.37 R$6.95

171.53%

Eggs

$7.05 ISK 856

$1.96 R$9.92

259.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.56 ISK 2,615

$9.22 R$46.73

133.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.68 ISK 2,993

$3.36 R$17.04

634.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.19 ISK 5,117

$9.58 R$48.57

340.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ISK 392

$1.96 R$9.91

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ISK 331

$1.21 R$6.12

125.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ISK 384

$0.93 R$4.69

240.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 ISK 802

$1.23 R$6.26

437.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ISK 467

$0.70 R$3.53

450.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 201

$0.86 R$4.33

93.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.80 ISK 461

$0.57 R$2.88

566.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ISK 212

$0.48 R$2.45

264.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 ISK 1,662

$1.58 R$8.00

767.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.21 ISK 2,937

$5.99 R$30.36

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 ISK 428

$1.03 R$5.21

242.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ISK 402

$1.23 R$6.24

169.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.75 ISK 697

$1.55 R$7.83

270.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 ISK 11.4K

$84.2 R$427

11.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ISK 802

$1.36 R$6.89

386.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ISK 352

$0.78 R$3.96

271.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.2 ISK 9,602

$8.32 R$42.19

851.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ISK 253

$1.26 R$6.41

65.87%

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

$51.0K ISK 6.2M

$21.7K R$110.0K

135.18%

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

$53.3K ISK 6.5M

$31.4K R$159.2K

69.61%

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

$95.3 ISK 11.6K

$99.6 R$505

-4.39%

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

$32.35 ISK 3,923

$9.95 R$50.4

225.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.5 ISK 10.6K

$19.03 R$96.5

360.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 ISK 12.4K

$40.47 R$205

151.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 ISK 6,074

$29.67 R$150

68.79%

Cinema Ticket

$19.88 ISK 2,412

$6.77 R$34.31

193.65%

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

$1,194 ISK 144.8K

$659 R$3,339

81.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ISK 3.1M

$7,291 R$37.0K

248.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 ISK 18.1K

$63.7 R$323

134.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 ISK 8,080

$31.54 R$160

111.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 ISK 21.8K

$67.8 R$343

165.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$253 ISK 30.7K

$48.84 R$248

418.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 ISK 309.2K

$375 R$1,899

580.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 ISK 249.4K

$237 R$1,199

769.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,498 ISK 424.2K

$911 R$4,620

283.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 ISK 335.2K

$673 R$3,410

310.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,120 ISK 984.9K

$1,275 R$6,465

536.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,254 ISK 758.5K

$787 R$3,989

694.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,573 ISK 554.6K

$809 R$4,104

464.90%

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 Macaé: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.4%

Macaé

$237 26.7% 88.5% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Reykjavik

$623 15.6%

Macaé

$170 19.2% 72.7% $453

Eating Out

Reykjavik

$536 13.4%

Macaé

$105 11.9% 80.4% $431

Clothing & Footwear

Reykjavik

$292 7.3%

Macaé

$95 10.8% 67.4% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Reykjavik

$215 5.4%

Macaé

$129 14.5% 40.2% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Reykjavik

$142 3.5%

Macaé

$54 6.1% 61.9% $88

Getting Around

Reykjavik

$138 3.5%

Macaé

$96 10.8% 30.7% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,549 in Reykjavik and $375 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Reykjavik pays 465% 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: $122 in Reykjavik vs $30.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $623 vs $170 per month, with Macaé cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🇧🇷 Macaé

🕒 Local time

09:43 9:43 AM

06:43 6:43 AM

3 h behind Reykjavik

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

136,894 Capital

246,391

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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 Macaé 9,770 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Reykjavik
Macaé

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 Macaé: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik and Macaé differ by about 352% in total monthly costs ($4,002 vs $885 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 465% higher in Reykjavik, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,549 in Reykjavik versus $375 in Macaé. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $122 in Reykjavik. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,002 per month in Reykjavik versus $885 in Macaé – a 352% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $885 in Macaé versus $4,002 in Reykjavik, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Reykjavik. The gap between the two cities makes Macaé the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Reykjavik and Macaé are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 352% less than in Reykjavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.