Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Paulinia

For one person, living is cheaper in Paulinia: $998 a month against $4,023 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $36,300 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
48

Cost of Living Index in Paulinia
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Paulinia Living Index

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Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,023

/mo nomad

Paulinia

🇧🇷 Brazil

$998

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Reykjavik and in Paulinia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,023 in Reykjavik versus $998 in Paulinia.

Reykjavik $4,023
Paulinia $998

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,708 in Reykjavik versus $1,574 in Paulinia.

Reykjavik $5,708
Paulinia $1,574

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,393 in Reykjavik versus $2,151 in Paulinia.

Reykjavik $7,393
Paulinia $2,151

Living in Reykjavik is roughly 303% more expensive than in Paulinia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Reykjavik is 197% above, Paulinia is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.00 ISK 3,760

$8.94 R$45.34

246.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 ISK 14.9K

$36.24 R$184

239.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$27.21 ISK 3,300

$9.22 R$46.72

195.12%

Cappuccino

$6.90 ISK 837

$2.29 R$11.63

201.31%

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

$3.30 ISK 401

$1.37 R$6.95

140.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ISK 384

$0.93 R$4.73

239.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.84 ISK 1,678

$2.35 R$11.91

488.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.46 ISK 1,512

$4.09 R$20.75

204.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ISK 250

$1.05 R$5.34

96.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 ISK 498

$1.87 R$9.50

119.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 ISK 446

$1.34 R$6.80

174.63%

Eggs

$7.27 ISK 882

$2.57 R$13.03

182.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.79 ISK 2,643

$12.22 R$62.0

78.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.95 ISK 2,905

$4.78 R$24.22

401.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.43 ISK 5,025

$10.91 R$55.3

279.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 ISK 414

$2.17 R$10.98

57.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 ISK 344

$1.54 R$7.81

84.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 ISK 391

$1.55 R$7.84

108.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 ISK 783

$1.64 R$8.32

293.90%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 ISK 491

$1.32 R$6.70

206.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 ISK 202

$1.21 R$6.16

37.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.86 ISK 468

$0.91 R$4.63

324.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ISK 223

$0.87 R$4.40

111.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 ISK 1,693

$2.53 R$12.83

451.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.76 ISK 2,882

$8.13 R$41.21

192.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 ISK 430

$1.52 R$7.72

132.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ISK 418

$2.49 R$12.60

38.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.81 ISK 705

$1.01 R$5.11

475.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 ISK 11.6K

$43.80 R$222

117.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.72 ISK 815

$1.18 R$6.01

469.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 ISK 340

$0.73 R$3.71

284.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.3 ISK 9,866

$8.74 R$44.32

830.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 ISK 257

$1.31 R$6.65

61.83%

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

$68.9K ISK 8.4M

$23.4K R$118.9K

193.98%

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

$55.8K ISK 6.8M

$33.1K R$167.8K

68.59%

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

$95.8 ISK 11.6K

$107 R$541

-10.20%

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

$33.11 ISK 4,016

$15.16 R$76.8

118.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.2 ISK 10.6K

$22.75 R$115

283.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 ISK 12.3K

$39.59 R$201

155.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.7 ISK 6,155

$27.28 R$138

86.00%

Cinema Ticket

$19.85 ISK 2,407

$9.11 R$46.19

117.89%

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

$1,195 ISK 144.9K

$407 R$2,063

193.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K ISK 3.2M

$10.4K R$52.8K

151.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$148 ISK 18.0K

$55.9 R$283

165.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 ISK 8,096

$49.77 R$252

34.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$187 ISK 22.6K

$96.5 R$489

93.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$253 ISK 30.6K

$70.8 R$359

256.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 ISK 312.8K

$351 R$1,782

633.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 ISK 252.3K

$242 R$1,225

760.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,455 ISK 419.0K

$673 R$3,414

412.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,752 ISK 333.8K

$463 R$2,346

494.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,933 ISK 962.2K

$1,694 R$8,590

368.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,377 ISK 773.5K

$1,192 R$6,041

435.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,695 ISK 569.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

-26.58%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: October 20, 2026

Last update for Paulinia: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.7%

Paulinia

$242 24.2% 88.4% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Reykjavik

$619 15.4%

Paulinia

$222 22.3% 64.2% $397

Eating Out

Reykjavik

$532 13.2%

Paulinia

$156 15.6% 70.7% $377

Clothing & Footwear

Reykjavik

$294 7.3%

Paulinia

$123 12.3% 58.3% $172

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Reykjavik

$216 5.4%

Paulinia

$145 14.5% 33.1% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Reykjavik

$141 3.5%

Paulinia

$58 5.8% 58.9% $83

Getting Around

Reykjavik

$139 3.5%

Paulinia

$53 5.3% 62.2% $87

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,579 in Reykjavik and $351 in Paulinia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $123 in Reykjavik vs $36.00 in Paulinia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $619 vs $222 per month, with Paulinia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🇧🇷 Paulinia

🕒 Local time

05:58 5:58 AM

02:58 2:58 AM

3 h behind Reykjavik

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

136,894 Capital

110,537

💱 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 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).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Reykjavik Paulinia 9,910 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Reykjavik
Paulinia

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 Paulinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik and Paulinia differ by about 303% in total monthly costs ($4,023 vs $998 including rent). Paulinia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $6,034 in Reykjavik and $1,496 in Paulinia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,579 in Reykjavik versus $351 in Paulinia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Paulinia – 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.

All in, you'll spend $4,023 per month in Reykjavik versus $998 in Paulinia – a 303% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $998 in Paulinia versus $4,023 in Reykjavik, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Paulinia but tight or insufficient in Reykjavik. The gap between the two cities makes Paulinia 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 Paulinia 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 Paulinia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 303% less than in Reykjavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.