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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,172 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,791 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,928 per month in Schaffhausen vs $5,487 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,685 per month in Schaffhausen vs $7,183 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Schaffhausen is about 16% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Schaffhausen and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Schaffhausen by 137%, Reykjavik by 184%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.30 CHF 25.55

$27.44 ISK 3,448

14.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.4

$146 ISK 18.4K

-16.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.11 CHF 13.15

$22.12 ISK 2,780

-27.17%

Cappuccino

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$6.19 ISK 778

-8.24%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.37

$3.26 ISK 410

64.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.57

$2.59 ISK 325

68.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$12.92 ISK 1,623

-38.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 CHF 6.18

$11.29 ISK 1,419

-32.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.60

$1.86 ISK 234

5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.09

$4.26 ISK 535

-11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$3.72 ISK 467

-0.81%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$6.35 ISK 798

23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.80 CHF 24.32

$18.34 ISK 2,305

62.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.49 CHF 28.97

$23.79 ISK 2,989

49.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.0 CHF 41.59

$43.19 ISK 5,427

17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$3.24 ISK 407

13.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$2.53 ISK 318

-10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.35

$3.12 ISK 392

-7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 CHF 4.98

$5.08 ISK 638

20.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$3.65 ISK 459

-31.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.03

$2.39 ISK 301

3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.18

$3.19 ISK 401

-16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.04

$1.92 ISK 241

-33.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 CHF 8.93

$13.40 ISK 1,683

-18.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 CHF 10.95

$23.47 ISK 2,949

-42.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$3.67 ISK 461

-62.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.12

$3.31 ISK 416

-21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$5.07 ISK 637

-22.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$87.8 ISK 11.0K

-2.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 CHF 8.20

$6.48 ISK 814

55.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.04 CHF 3.30

$2.66 ISK 334

51.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 CHF 50.5

$86.8 ISK 10.9K

-28.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$2.55 ISK 320

-16.47%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

$47.1K ISK 5.9M

-15.80%

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

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

$52.7K ISK 6.6M

-19.46%

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

$247 CHF 202

$88.6 ISK 11.1K

178.90%

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

$28.70 CHF 23.42

$27.59 ISK 3,467

4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 CHF 35.05

$86.7 ISK 10.9K

-50.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 88.6

$82.2 ISK 10.3K

31.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.47 CHF 38.74

$38.25 ISK 4,806

24.10%

Cinema Ticket

$22.34 CHF 18.24

$17.49 ISK 2,197

27.73%

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

$3,354 CHF 2,738

$319 ISK 40.0K

953.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

$30.1K ISK 3.8M

44.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 91.4

$141 ISK 17.8K

-20.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 CHF 55.2

$60.4 ISK 7,591

12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 109

$181 ISK 22.7K

-26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 CHF 126

$262 ISK 32.9K

-41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 CHF 1,001

$2,221 ISK 279.1K

-44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 CHF 1,018

$1,998 ISK 251.1K

-37.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 CHF 2,171

$3,143 ISK 394.9K

-15.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 CHF 1,808

$2,691 ISK 338.1K

-17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,226 CHF 6,714

$7,966 ISK 1.0M

3.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,564 CHF 6,990

$6,129 ISK 770.1K

39.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,453 CHF 6,083

$4,657 ISK 585.1K

60.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

9.63

-74.04%

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

Last update for Schaffhausen: July 21, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Schaffhausen versus $2,221 in Reykjavik. 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 60% 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 $122 in Schaffhausen versus $146 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $675 in Schaffhausen vs $598 in Reykjavik – 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

Schaffhausen vs Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik costs about 20% more than Schaffhausen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,758 per month in Schaffhausen and $5,687 in Reykjavik. 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 $3,172 in Schaffhausen and $3,791 in Reykjavik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $3,172 in Schaffhausen and $3,791 in Reykjavik. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Schaffhausen costs $3,172 versus $3,791 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.