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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,132 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,824 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,926 per month in Schaffhausen vs $5,556 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,720 per month in Schaffhausen vs $7,289 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Schaffhausen is about 18% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Schaffhausen and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Schaffhausen by 133%, Reykjavik by 184%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.29

$27.13 ISK 3,367

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 99.4

$147 ISK 18.3K

-15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.82 CHF 12.65

$22.15 ISK 2,749

-28.58%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.33

$6.08 ISK 754

-10.86%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.28

$3.24 ISK 402

65.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.49

$2.60 ISK 323

68.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 CHF 6.36

$13.07 ISK 1,621

-39.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.88

$11.14 ISK 1,382

-34.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.57

$1.86 ISK 230

5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.01

$4.34 ISK 539

-13.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.88

$3.63 ISK 450

-0.55%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.29

$6.31 ISK 783

24.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.45 CHF 23.54

$18.05 ISK 2,240

63.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.04 CHF 28.01

$24.02 ISK 2,980

45.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.39

$43.15 ISK 5,355

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.94

$3.26 ISK 405

12.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.86

$2.45 ISK 304

-4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

$3.11 ISK 385

-5.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.91

$4.87 ISK 604

26.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$3.68 ISK 457

-34.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.99

$2.34 ISK 290

6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.05

$3.04 ISK 378

-15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.02

$1.92 ISK 238

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.77

$13.59 ISK 1,687

-19.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.85

$23.29 ISK 2,890

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$3.71 ISK 461

-63.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$3.30 ISK 409

-17.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.18

$5.08 ISK 631

-21.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CHF 69.7

$88.4 ISK 11.0K

-1.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 CHF 8.11

$6.30 ISK 782

61.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 CHF 3.11

$2.64 ISK 327

47.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.41

$86.7 ISK 10.8K

-30.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$2.48 ISK 307

-10.89%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

$46.4K ISK 5.8M

-13.18%

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

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

$52.0K ISK 6.5M

-18.02%

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

$247 CHF 197

$89.0 ISK 11.0K

177.27%

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

$28.92 CHF 23.11

$27.11 ISK 3,365

6.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CHF 35.11

$83.7 ISK 10.4K

-47.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 87.2

$83.2 ISK 10.3K

31.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 38.06

$37.19 ISK 4,615

28.02%

Cinema Ticket

$22.53 CHF 18.01

$17.41 ISK 2,160

29.41%

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

$3,388 CHF 2,708

$319 ISK 39.6K

961.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

$29.8K ISK 3.7M

42.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.1

$138 ISK 17.1K

-18.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 53.1

$60.8 ISK 7,545

9.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 CHF 103

$181 ISK 22.5K

-28.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CHF 124

$269 ISK 33.4K

-42.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 CHF 972

$2,246 ISK 278.7K

-45.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 CHF 977

$2,025 ISK 251.3K

-39.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 CHF 2,152

$3,220 ISK 399.6K

-16.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 CHF 1,756

$2,728 ISK 338.5K

-19.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,390 CHF 6,706

$7,686 ISK 953.9K

9.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,769 CHF 5,410

$6,267 ISK 777.8K

8.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,336 CHF 7,463

$4,442 ISK 551.3K

110.18%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $2,246 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 110% 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 $124 in Schaffhausen versus $147 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $672 in Schaffhausen vs $596 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 22% 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 $4,699 per month in Schaffhausen and $5,735 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 $3,132 in Schaffhausen and $3,824 in Reykjavik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $3,132 in Schaffhausen and $3,824 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 $3,132 versus $3,824 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.