Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helier and Keflavik

For one person, living is cheaper in Keflavik: $3,018 a month against $3,375 in Saint Helier, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Saint Helier outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Saint Helier, Jersey
Keflavik, Iceland
Saint Helier
🇯🇪 Jersey
$3,375
/mo nomad
Keflavik
🇮🇸 Iceland
$3,018
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Helier and in Keflavik

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Helier and in Keflavik actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,375 in Saint Helier versus $3,018 in Keflavik.

  • Saint Helier $3,375
  • Keflavik $3,018

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,992 in Saint Helier versus $4,529 in Keflavik.

  • Saint Helier $4,992
  • Keflavik $4,529

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,608 in Saint Helier versus $6,041 in Keflavik.

  • Saint Helier $6,608
  • Keflavik $6,041

Living in Saint Helier is roughly 12% more expensive than in Keflavik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Helier 148% above, Keflavik 122% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$40.25 JEP 30.07
$24.11 ISK 2,927
66.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$122 JEP 90.8
$121 ISK 14.7K
0.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.76 JEP 8.04
$20.25 ISK 2,458
-46.86%
Cappuccino
$4.95 JEP 3.70
$4.22 ISK 513
17.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 JEP 2.50
$3.36 ISK 408
-0.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 JEP 1.88
$3.03 ISK 368
-17.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.08 JEP 6.04
$8.25 ISK 1,001
-2.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.29 JEP 4.70
$8.15 ISK 990
-22.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.30 JEP 1.72
$2.11 ISK 256
9.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.82 JEP 2.11
$4.21 ISK 512
-33.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.83 JEP 2.86
$2.50 ISK 303
53.20%
Eggs
$6.16 JEP 4.60
$6.55 ISK 796
-5.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.24 JEP 5.41
$19.70 ISK 2,391
-63.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.94 JEP 8.92
$23.90 ISK 2,902
-50.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.58 JEP 13.88
$41.71 ISK 5,063
-55.45%
Apples (1kg)
$4.20 JEP 3.14
$2.44 ISK 296
72.13%
Banana (1kg)
$3.54 JEP 2.65
$2.41 ISK 292
46.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.13 JEP 3.08
$2.50 ISK 303
65.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.46 JEP 3.33
$4.16 ISK 504
7.21%
Potato (1kg)
$3.24 JEP 2.42
$3.12 ISK 378
3.85%
Onion (1kg)
$3.14 JEP 2.35
$1.64 ISK 199
91.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.91 JEP 1.43
$3.62 ISK 440
-47.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 JEP 1.92
$1.81 ISK 219
41.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.77 JEP 14.77
$13.85 ISK 1,681
42.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.79 JEP 8.06
$16.32 ISK 1,981
-33.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.54 JEP 3.39
$3.73 ISK 453
21.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.87 JEP 5.88
$2.81 ISK 341
180.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.39 JEP 2.53
$3.68 ISK 447
-7.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.7 JEP 52.0
$77.2 ISK 9,366
-9.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 JEP 4.03
$6.35 ISK 771
-15.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.42 JEP 1.81
$2.59 ISK 314
-6.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$52.5 JEP 39.22
$80.2 ISK 9,738
-34.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 JEP 1.59
$2.00 ISK 243
6.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K JEP 19.7K
$68.2K ISK 8.3M
-61.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K JEP 27.8K
$55.2K ISK 6.7M
-32.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$318 JEP 237
$95.8 ISK 11.6K
231.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.74 JEP 33.42
$32.13 ISK 3,900
39.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.6 JEP 55.7
$84.5 ISK 10.3K
-11.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.7 JEP 57.3
$76.7 ISK 9,316
-0.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.22 JEP 21.08
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.74 JEP 14.74
$19.58 ISK 2,377
0.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,272 JEP 1,697
$406 ISK 49.3K
459.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K JEP 8,980
$26.4K ISK 3.2M
-54.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 JEP 78.3
$148 ISK 18.0K
-29.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$72.1 JEP 53.9
$66.8 ISK 8,104
8.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 JEP 89.0
$184 ISK 22.4K
-35.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$207 JEP 155
$190 ISK 23.1K
9.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,873 JEP 1,399
$1,862 ISK 226.0K
0.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,581 JEP 1,181
$1,359 ISK 165.0K
16.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,115 JEP 2,327
$2,527 ISK 306.7K
23.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,550 JEP 1,905
$2,040 ISK 247.7K
24.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.7K JEP 8,752
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$10.5K JEP 7,827
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Helier
Keflavik
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,623 JEP 3,453
$3,819 ISK 463.6K
21.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
8.81
-53.69%

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

Last update for Saint Helier: October 25, 2026

Last update for Keflavik: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saint Helier
$1.6K
Keflavik
$1.4K 14% $221
Eating Out
Saint Helier
$490
Keflavik
$387 21% $103
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Helier
$437
Keflavik
$212 51.4% $225
Groceries & Markets
Saint Helier
$424
Keflavik
$566 33.6% $142
Clothing & Footwear
Saint Helier
$227
Keflavik
$265 17.1% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Saint Helier
$116
Keflavik
$116 0.3% $0.3
Getting Around
Saint Helier
$101
Keflavik
$111 10.4% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,873 in Saint Helier and $1,862 in Keflavik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 21% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $122 in Saint Helier vs $121 in Keflavik. Groceries flip the comparison at $424 vs $566, with Saint Helier cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇪 Saint Helier
🇮🇸 Keflavik
🕒 Local time
22:36 10:36 PM
22:36 10:36 PM
Same time as Saint Helier
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,522 Capital
15,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to JEP – Jersey Pound Converter

Jersey Pound exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 JEP (1 JEP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 JEP (1 JEP = 1.2 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saint Helier Keflavik 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint Helier
  • Keflavik

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
Saint Helier vs Keflavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Saint Helier or Keflavik?
Keflavik wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Saint Helier. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Keflavik the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Saint Helier or in Keflavik?
Average pay runs 21% higher in Saint Helier, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Saint Helier compared to Keflavik?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,873 in Saint Helier versus $1,862 in Keflavik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Saint Helier or in Keflavik?
Shoppers in Saint Helier pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Saint Helier compared to Keflavik?
All in, you’ll spend $3,375 per month in Saint Helier versus $3,018 in Keflavik – Keflavik is about 11% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Saint Helier or in Keflavik?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Keflavik is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Saint Helier or Keflavik?
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.
How safe is Saint Helier compared to Keflavik?
Safety-wise, Saint Helier and Keflavik are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Saint Helier or to Keflavik?
It comes down to priorities – Keflavik wins on affordability, Saint Helier on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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