Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Reykjavik

For one person, living is cheaper in Selfoss: $3,423 a month against $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. The total is higher in Reykjavik despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Reykjavik
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Reykjavik Living Index

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Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,423

/mo nomad

Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,002

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Selfoss and in Reykjavik

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 Reykjavik actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,423 per month in Selfoss vs $4,002 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Selfoss $3,423
Reykjavik $4,002

A couple spends around $2,440 per month in Selfoss vs $5,705 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Selfoss $2,440
Reykjavik $5,705

A family of three spends $1,458 per month in Selfoss vs $7,407 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Selfoss $1,458
Reykjavik $7,407

Selfoss is about 14% cheaper than Reykjavik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Selfoss and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Selfoss by 154%, Reykjavik by 196%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.56 ISK 3,828

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 ISK 14.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.48 ISK 2,484

$26.86 ISK 3,258

-23.75%

Cappuccino

$6.81 ISK 827

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

$3.39 ISK 411

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ISK 388

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.21 ISK 1,481

$14.14 ISK 1,715

-13.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.31 ISK 1,493

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ISK 213

$2.10 ISK 255

-16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$7.60 ISK 922

$4.19 ISK 508

81.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 ISK 544

$3.72 ISK 451

20.70%

Eggs

$6.43 ISK 780

$7.05 ISK 856

-8.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 ISK 2,105

$21.56 ISK 2,615

-19.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.64 ISK 2,624

$24.68 ISK 2,993

-12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.84 ISK 4,105

$42.19 ISK 5,117

-19.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 ISK 327

$3.23 ISK 392

-16.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 ISK 316

$2.73 ISK 331

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 ISK 320

$3.17 ISK 384

-16.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.07 ISK 857

$6.61 ISK 802

6.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 ISK 396

$3.85 ISK 467

-15.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 265

$1.66 ISK 201

31.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.58 ISK 435

$3.80 ISK 461

-5.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ISK 166

$1.75 ISK 212

-21.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.69 ISK 1,903

$13.71 ISK 1,662

14.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.21 ISK 2,937

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 ISK 428

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 ISK 141

$3.32 ISK 402

-65.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.75 ISK 697

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 ISK 11.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ISK 802

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ISK 352

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.2 ISK 9,602

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ISK 253

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

$51.0K ISK 6.2M

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

$53.3K ISK 6.5M

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

$95.3 ISK 11.6K

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

$32.35 ISK 3,923

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.5 ISK 10.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 ISK 12.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 ISK 6,074

Cinema Ticket

$19.88 ISK 2,412

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

$1,194 ISK 144.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ISK 3.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 ISK 18.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 ISK 8,080

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 ISK 21.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$253 ISK 30.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 ISK 309.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 ISK 337.1K

$2,056 ISK 249.4K

35.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,498 ISK 424.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 ISK 335.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,120 ISK 984.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,254 ISK 758.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,573 ISK 554.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 11, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.4%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Reykjavik

$623 15.6%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Reykjavik

$536 13.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Reykjavik

$292 7.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Reykjavik

$215 5.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Reykjavik

$142 3.5%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Reykjavik

$138 3.5%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🕒 Local time

20:30 8:30 PM

Same time as Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

136,894 Capital

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Selfoss Reykjavik 51 km

From you

Selfoss
Reykjavik

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 Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Reykjavik costs about 17% more than Selfoss, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $5,135 per month in Selfoss and $6,003 in Reykjavik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,423 in Selfoss and $4,002 in Reykjavik. That's a gap of about 17%.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Reykjavik, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Selfoss, where all-in costs run around $3,423, than in Reykjavik at $4,002. In Selfoss it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Selfoss costs $3,423 versus $4,002 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 Selfoss. 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.