Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Schaffhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Reykjavik and Schaffhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,943 per month in Reykjavik vs $3,151 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,770 per month in Reykjavik vs $5,139 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,597 per month in Reykjavik vs $7,126 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Reykjavik costs about 25% more than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Reykjavik and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – Reykjavik by 186%, Schaffhausen by 129%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.43 ISK 3,666

$31.20 CHF 25.46

-2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$135 ISK 16.3K

$121 CHF 99.0

11.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.74 ISK 3,221

$18.87 CHF 15.40

41.71%

Cappuccino

$7.01 ISK 845

$5.75 CHF 4.69

21.91%

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

$3.30 ISK 397

$5.47 CHF 4.47

-39.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ISK 382

$4.99 CHF 4.07

-36.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.35 ISK 1,728

$8.73 CHF 7.13

64.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.34 ISK 1,487

$7.46 CHF 6.09

65.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ISK 249

$2.21 CHF 1.81

-6.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 ISK 521

$4.15 CHF 3.38

4.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 ISK 424

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-19.27%

Eggs

$7.12 ISK 858

$7.84 CHF 6.40

-9.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.59 ISK 2,600

$28.35 CHF 23.14

-23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.15 ISK 3,030

$32.11 CHF 26.20

-21.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.98 ISK 5,177

$43.79 CHF 35.74

-1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ISK 425

$3.92 CHF 3.20

-9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 ISK 346

$2.19 CHF 1.79

31.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 ISK 399

$3.17 CHF 2.59

4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 ISK 777

$5.68 CHF 4.63

13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 ISK 479

$2.52 CHF 2.05

57.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 ISK 206

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.68 ISK 443

$2.46 CHF 2.00

49.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ISK 221

$1.25 CHF 1.02

47.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.99 ISK 1,685

$11.23 CHF 9.17

24.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.89 ISK 2,877

$13.72 CHF 11.20

74.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 ISK 468

$3.04 CHF 2.48

27.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ISK 427

$3.97 CHF 3.24

-10.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.86 ISK 705

$3.95 CHF 3.22

48.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.2 ISK 11.6K

$99.4 CHF 81.1

-3.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ISK 807

$6.26 CHF 5.11

7.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ISK 350

$3.81 CHF 3.11

-23.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.8 ISK 9,129

$61.5 CHF 50.2

23.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ISK 247

$2.22 CHF 1.81

-7.66%

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

$51.5K ISK 6.2M

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

15.10%

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

$53.8K ISK 6.5M

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

32.02%

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

$88.2 ISK 10.6K

$228 CHF 186

-61.23%

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

$33.57 ISK 4,044

$31.99 CHF 26.11

4.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 ISK 10.4K

$64.0 CHF 52.2

34.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 ISK 11.6K

$112 CHF 91.1

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 ISK 6,036

$46.98 CHF 38.34

6.66%

Cinema Ticket

$20.01 ISK 2,410

$23.97 CHF 19.56

-16.52%

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

$1,172 ISK 141.1K

$3,228 CHF 2,634

-63.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K ISK 3.8M

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

-5.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$159 ISK 19.2K

$170 CHF 138

-6.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 ISK 8,164

$54.9 CHF 44.83

23.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 ISK 21.5K

$193 CHF 157

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$252 ISK 30.4K

$157 CHF 128

61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 ISK 299.8K

$1,362 CHF 1,112

82.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ISK 252.4K

$1,200 CHF 980

74.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,429 ISK 413.1K

$2,710 CHF 2,212

26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 ISK 332.6K

$2,411 CHF 1,967

14.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,179 ISK 985.2K

$8,369 CHF 6,830

-2.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,507 ISK 783.8K

$8,438 CHF 6,886

-22.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,761 ISK 573.5K

$7,296 CHF 5,954

-34.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

2.48

258.06%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: September 6, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,489 in Reykjavik versus $1,362 in Schaffhausen. 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 53% higher in Schaffhausen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $135 in Reykjavik versus $121 in Schaffhausen. Groceries tell a different story – $633 in Reykjavik vs $651 in Schaffhausen – so Reykjavik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik costs about 25% more than Schaffhausen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,915 per month in Reykjavik and $4,727 in Schaffhausen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,943 in Reykjavik and $3,151 in Schaffhausen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Schaffhausen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,943 in Reykjavik and $3,151 in Schaffhausen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Schaffhausen costs $3,151 versus $3,943 in Reykjavik. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Schaffhausen. 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.