Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Berlin

For one person, living is cheaper in Berlin: $2,545 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

124

Cost of Living Index in Berlin
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Berlin Living Index

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Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Berlin

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,545

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Selfoss and in Berlin

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

A single person spends $3,460 per month in Selfoss vs $2,545 in Berlin, rent included.

Selfoss $3,460
Berlin $2,545

A couple spends around $2,461 per month in Selfoss vs $3,901 in Berlin, rent included.

Selfoss $2,461
Berlin $3,901

A family of three spends $1,462 per month in Selfoss vs $5,257 in Berlin, rent included.

Selfoss $1,462
Berlin $5,257

Selfoss costs about 36% more than Berlin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Selfoss and Berlin sit above the global median – Selfoss by 158%, Berlin by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.81 €15.00

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 €71.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.81 ISK 2,538

$13.38 €11.94

55.53%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.81

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

$3.40 €3.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.20 ISK 1,488

$5.48 €4.89

122.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €4.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ISK 219

$1.27 €1.13

40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$7.61 ISK 928

$2.45 €2.19

210.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 ISK 544

$3.30 €2.94

35.15%

Eggs

$6.56 ISK 800

$4.45 €3.97

47.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 ISK 2,103

$17.10 €15.26

0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.77 ISK 2,655

$12.19 €10.88

78.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.50 ISK 4,085

$18.30 €16.33

83.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ISK 332

$3.58 €3.19

-24.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ISK 335

$1.98 €1.77

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 ISK 324

$3.27 €2.92

-18.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.51 ISK 916

$3.81 €3.40

97.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 391

$2.13 €1.90

50.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 266

$2.21 €1.97

-1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 ISK 439

$1.49 €1.33

141.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ISK 175

$1.01 €0.90

42.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.97 ISK 1,947

$10.49 €9.37

52.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 €6.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ISK 143

$2.10 €1.87

-44.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 €3.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.0 €63.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 €4.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 €2.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.30 €32.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 €2.03

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

$33.2K €29.7K

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

$39.1K €34.9K

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

$379 €339

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

$19.31 €17.23

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.41 €43.20

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.31 €35.97

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.51 €31.69

Cinema Ticket

$15.53 €13.86

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

$144 €128

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K €14.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 €84.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.33 €41.34

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €92.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €126

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 €1,328

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

$1,098 €980

156.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 €2,378

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 €1,856

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,578 €7,655

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,438 €4,853

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 €3,112

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Last update for Berlin: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Berlin

$1.1K 43.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Berlin

$447 17.6%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Berlin

$351 13.8%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Berlin

$289 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Berlin

$174 6.8%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Berlin

$109 4.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Berlin

$71 2.8%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇩🇪 Berlin

🕒 Local time

02:46 2:46 AM

04:46 4:46 AM

2 h ahead of Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

3,769,962 Capital

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Selfoss Berlin 2,340 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Selfoss
Berlin

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

Selfoss vs Berlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Selfoss is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,190 per month in Selfoss and $3,818 in Berlin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,460 in Selfoss and $2,545 in Berlin. That's a gap of about 36%.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Selfoss, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Berlin, where all-in costs run around $2,545, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Berlin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Berlin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Berlin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.