Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Passos

For one person, living is cheaper in Passos: $956 a month against $4,023 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $36,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Reykjavik
🇮🇸 Iceland
$4,023
/mo nomad
Passos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$956
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Reykjavik and in Passos

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,023 in Reykjavik versus $956 in Passos.

  • Reykjavik $4,023
  • Passos $956

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,708 in Reykjavik versus $1,537 in Passos.

  • Reykjavik $5,708
  • Passos $1,537

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,393 in Reykjavik versus $2,119 in Passos.

  • Reykjavik $7,393
  • Passos $2,119

Living in Reykjavik is roughly 321% more expensive than in Passos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Reykjavik is 197% above, Passos is 29% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.00 ISK 3,760
$10.06 R$51.0
208.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123 ISK 14.9K
$35.57 R$180
246.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$27.21 ISK 3,300
$8.86 R$44.91
207.11%
Cappuccino
$6.90 ISK 837
$2.28 R$11.54
202.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 ISK 401
$1.34 R$6.80
146.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 ISK 384
$0.95 R$4.80
232.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.84 ISK 1,678
$2.44 R$12.39
467.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.46 ISK 1,512
$4.05 R$20.51
207.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.06 ISK 250
$1.06 R$5.40
94.34%
White Bread (500g)
$4.11 ISK 498
$2.05 R$10.40
100.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.68 ISK 446
$1.37 R$6.95
168.61%
Eggs
$7.27 ISK 882
$2.61 R$13.22
178.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.79 ISK 2,643
$10.74 R$54.4
102.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$23.95 ISK 2,905
$4.97 R$25.18
381.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.43 ISK 5,025
$10.75 R$54.5
285.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.42 ISK 414
$2.34 R$11.87
46.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.84 ISK 344
$1.66 R$8.42
71.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.23 ISK 391
$1.53 R$7.76
111.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.46 ISK 783
$1.37 R$6.94
371.53%
Potato (1kg)
$4.05 ISK 491
$1.30 R$6.60
211.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 ISK 202
$1.24 R$6.29
33.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.86 ISK 468
$0.99 R$5.01
289.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 ISK 223
$0.85 R$4.31
116.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.96 ISK 1,693
$2.43 R$12.34
474.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.76 ISK 2,882
$8.08 R$40.96
194.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.54 ISK 430
$1.56 R$7.89
126.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 ISK 418
$2.51 R$12.74
37.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.81 ISK 705
$1.00 R$5.05
481.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.3 ISK 11.6K
$43.39 R$220
119.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.72 ISK 815
$1.17 R$5.93
474.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.81 ISK 340
$0.72 R$3.66
290.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$81.3 ISK 9,866
$8.38 R$42.46
870.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 ISK 257
$1.28 R$6.48
65.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$68.9K ISK 8.4M
$24.0K R$121.6K
187.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$55.8K ISK 6.8M
$32.0K R$162.0K
74.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.8 ISK 11.6K
$67.4 R$342
42.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.11 ISK 4,016
$15.00 R$76.1
120.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.2 ISK 10.6K
$22.66 R$115
284.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$101 ISK 12.3K
$25.76 R$131
292.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$50.7 ISK 6,155
$27.49 R$139
84.58%
Cinema Ticket
$19.85 ISK 2,407
$8.17 R$41.40
142.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,195 ISK 144.9K
$443 R$2,246
169.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.2K ISK 3.2M
$10.8K R$54.8K
142.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$148 ISK 18.0K
$64.4 R$326
130.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.8 ISK 8,096
$57.0 R$289
17.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$187 ISK 22.6K
$88.5 R$449
110.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$253 ISK 30.6K
$79.4 R$402
218.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,579 ISK 312.8K
$354 R$1,797
627.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,080 ISK 252.3K
$242 R$1,225
760.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,455 ISK 419.0K
$687 R$3,485
402.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,752 ISK 333.8K
$475 R$2,410
478.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,933 ISK 962.2K
$1,693 R$8,582
368.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,377 ISK 773.5K
$1,181 R$5,984
440.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Reykjavik
Passos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,695 ISK 569.5K
$419 R$2,122
1021.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.81
10.81
-18.50%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: October 20, 2026

Last update for Passos: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Reykjavik
$2.1K
Passos
$242 88.4% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Reykjavik
$619
Passos
$221 64.4% $399
Eating Out
Reykjavik
$532
Passos
$164 69.2% $369
Clothing & Footwear
Reykjavik
$294
Passos
$130 55.8% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reykjavik
$216
Passos
$105 51.4% $111
Sport & Entertainment
Reykjavik
$141
Passos
$42 70.1% $99
Getting Around
Reykjavik
$139
Passos
$52 62.6% $87

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Reykjavik and $354 in Passos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Reykjavik pays 1022% 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 $36.00 in Passos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $619 vs $221 per month, with Passos cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇸 Reykjavik
🇧🇷 Passos
🕒 Local time
08:03 8:03 AM
05:03 5:03 AM
3 h behind Reykjavik
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
136,894 Capital
111,939
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 22, 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 22, 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 Passos 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Reykjavik
  • Passos

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 Passos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Reykjavik and in Passos?
Reykjavik and Passos differ by about 321% in total monthly costs ($4,023 vs $956 including rent). Passos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Reykjavik or Passos?
Average pay runs 1022% higher in Reykjavik, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Reykjavik and in Passos?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,579 in Reykjavik versus $354 in Passos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 181% higher in Reykjavik. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Passos – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $123 in Reykjavik. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $956 in Passos versus $4,023 in Reykjavik, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Passos but tight or insufficient in Reykjavik. The gap between the two cities makes Passos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Reykjavik and Passos?
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.
Is Reykjavik or Passos safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Reykjavik and Passos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Reykjavik or Passos?
Expats usually find Passos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 321% less than in Reykjavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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