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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,151 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,779 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,931 per month in Schaffhausen vs $5,439 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Schaffhausen vs $7,100 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Schaffhausen is about 17% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Schaffhausen and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Schaffhausen by 135%, Reykjavik by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.31 CHF 24.55

$26.63 ISK 3,260

17.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 98.1

$145 ISK 17.7K

-13.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 CHF 12.43

$22.86 ISK 2,798

-30.62%

Cappuccino

$5.43 CHF 4.26

$6.19 ISK 758

-12.28%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.25

$3.34 ISK 409

62.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CHF 3.47

$2.60 ISK 318

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.43

$12.72 ISK 1,558

-35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 CHF 5.95

$11.05 ISK 1,352

-31.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 CHF 1.49

$1.93 ISK 237

-1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$4.20 ISK 515

-9.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.79

$3.69 ISK 452

-3.79%

Eggs

$7.66 CHF 6.01

$6.52 ISK 798

17.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.66 CHF 23.25

$18.03 ISK 2,208

64.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.28 CHF 27.66

$24.50 ISK 2,999

44.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 40.59

$42.99 ISK 5,263

20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 CHF 2.95

$3.31 ISK 405

13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$2.54 ISK 310

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.25

$3.10 ISK 380

-7.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 CHF 4.72

$5.10 ISK 625

18.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.93

$3.70 ISK 453

-33.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$2.36 ISK 289

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.10

$3.18 ISK 390

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.01

$2.00 ISK 245

-36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 8.85

$13.58 ISK 1,663

-16.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 10.90

$23.03 ISK 2,820

-39.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$3.63 ISK 445

-62.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.15

$3.31 ISK 406

-16.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$5.28 ISK 646

-28.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CHF 66.7

$88.1 ISK 10.8K

-3.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 CHF 7.91

$6.46 ISK 791

56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.22

$2.62 ISK 321

56.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.3 CHF 48.83

$85.4 ISK 10.5K

-27.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$2.47 ISK 302

-12.96%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

$46.5K ISK 5.7M

-12.22%

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

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

$51.4K ISK 6.3M

-17.34%

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

$242 CHF 190

$86.9 ISK 10.6K

178.77%

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

$28.69 CHF 22.49

$27.40 ISK 3,355

4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CHF 34.13

$84.2 ISK 10.3K

-48.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 85.7

$82.6 ISK 10.1K

32.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.51 CHF 37.25

$37.68 ISK 4,613

26.09%

Cinema Ticket

$22.50 CHF 17.64

$17.79 ISK 2,178

26.48%

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

$3,325 CHF 2,607

$327 ISK 40.0K

916.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

$30.2K ISK 3.7M

44.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 87.9

$141 ISK 17.2K

-20.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 CHF 53.5

$61.9 ISK 7,577

10.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 102

$185 ISK 22.6K

-29.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CHF 124

$270 ISK 33.1K

-41.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 CHF 952

$2,178 ISK 266.7K

-44.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CHF 957

$2,060 ISK 252.2K

-40.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 CHF 2,159

$3,212 ISK 393.3K

-14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CHF 1,696

$2,718 ISK 332.7K

-20.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,567 CHF 6,717

$7,866 ISK 963.0K

8.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,910 CHF 5,417

$6,357 ISK 778.3K

8.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,437 CHF 7,398

$4,529 ISK 554.4K

108.39%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,214 in Schaffhausen versus $2,178 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 108% 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 $125 in Schaffhausen versus $145 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $675 in Schaffhausen vs $601 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 $4,726 per month in Schaffhausen and $5,668 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 $3,151 in Schaffhausen and $3,779 in Reykjavik. 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 $3,151 in Schaffhausen and $3,779 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 $3,151 versus $3,779 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.