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 $3,943 in Reykjavik, rent included.

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

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

Schaffhausen is about 20% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.20 CHF 25.46

$30.43 ISK 3,666

2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.0

$135 ISK 16.3K

-10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.87 CHF 15.40

$26.74 ISK 3,221

-29.43%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.69

$7.01 ISK 845

-17.97%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.47

$3.30 ISK 397

65.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CHF 4.07

$3.17 ISK 382

57.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 CHF 7.13

$14.35 ISK 1,728

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CHF 6.09

$12.34 ISK 1,487

-39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

$2.07 ISK 249

6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 CHF 3.38

$4.32 ISK 521

-3.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 CHF 3.55

$3.52 ISK 424

23.86%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$7.12 ISK 858

10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.35 CHF 23.14

$21.59 ISK 2,600

31.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.11 CHF 26.20

$25.15 ISK 3,030

27.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.79 CHF 35.74

$42.98 ISK 5,177

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$3.53 ISK 425

11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.87 ISK 346

-23.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.59

$3.31 ISK 399

-4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$6.45 ISK 777

-11.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$3.98 ISK 479

-36.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$1.71 ISK 206

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 2.00

$3.68 ISK 443

-33.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$1.84 ISK 221

-32.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.17

$13.99 ISK 1,685

-19.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 CHF 11.20

$23.89 ISK 2,877

-42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$3.88 ISK 468

-21.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CHF 3.24

$3.54 ISK 427

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$5.86 ISK 705

-32.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 CHF 81.1

$96.2 ISK 11.6K

3.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 CHF 5.11

$6.70 ISK 807

-6.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$2.91 ISK 350

30.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 50.2

$75.8 ISK 9,129

-18.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$2.05 ISK 247

8.29%

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

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

$51.5K ISK 6.2M

-13.12%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

$53.8K ISK 6.5M

-24.25%

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

$228 CHF 186

$88.2 ISK 10.6K

157.95%

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

$31.99 CHF 26.11

$33.57 ISK 4,044

-4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 52.2

$86.2 ISK 10.4K

-25.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 91.1

$96.5 ISK 11.6K

15.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.98 CHF 38.34

$50.1 ISK 6,036

-6.25%

Cinema Ticket

$23.97 CHF 19.56

$20.01 ISK 2,410

19.79%

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

$3,228 CHF 2,634

$1,172 ISK 141.1K

175.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$31.3K ISK 3.8M

6.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$170 CHF 138

$159 ISK 19.2K

6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 CHF 44.83

$67.8 ISK 8,164

-18.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$193 CHF 157

$178 ISK 21.5K

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CHF 128

$252 ISK 30.4K

-37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 CHF 1,112

$2,489 ISK 299.8K

-45.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CHF 980

$2,096 ISK 252.4K

-42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,710 CHF 2,212

$3,429 ISK 413.1K

-20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 CHF 1,967

$2,761 ISK 332.6K

-12.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 CHF 6,830

$8,179 ISK 985.2K

2.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,886

$6,507 ISK 783.8K

29.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,296 CHF 5,954

$4,761 ISK 573.5K

53.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

8.88

-72.07%

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

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,362 in Schaffhausen versus $2,489 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 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 $121 in Schaffhausen versus $135 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $651 in Schaffhausen vs $633 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 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 $4,727 per month in Schaffhausen and $5,915 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 $3,943 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 $3,943 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 $3,943 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.