Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Hafnarfjordur Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Hafnarfjordur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,798 per month in Solothurn vs $3,661 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,498 per month in Solothurn vs $5,235 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,199 per month in Solothurn vs $6,808 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Solothurn is about 24% cheaper than Hafnarfjordur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Solothurn and Hafnarfjordur sit above the global median – Solothurn by 108%, Hafnarfjordur by 172%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.86 CHF 24.50

$27.17 ISK 3,383

13.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 CHF 110

$145 ISK 18.0K

-3.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.65 CHF 16.40

$16.06 ISK 2,000

28.58%

Cappuccino

$6.64 CHF 5.27

$6.26 ISK 779

6.07%

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

$5.62 CHF 4.46

$3.33 ISK 414

68.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.25 CHF 4.16

$2.50 ISK 312

110.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 CHF 5.47

$12.85 ISK 1,599

-46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 CHF 5.01

$11.35 ISK 1,413

-44.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$1.68 ISK 209

34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$4.25 ISK 529

-22.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 CHF 2.72

$3.56 ISK 443

-3.93%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.72

$6.51 ISK 810

10.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.35 CHF 23.30

$18.32 ISK 2,281

60.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.62 CHF 24.31

$24.43 ISK 3,042

25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.81 CHF 30.81

$41.97 ISK 5,225

-7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.27

$3.35 ISK 417

22.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.30

$2.46 ISK 306

17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 CHF 2.49

$3.02 ISK 376

3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.34

$5.05 ISK 629

-16.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.53

$3.57 ISK 444

-45.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.56

$2.45 ISK 305

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$3.19 ISK 397

-19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CHF 0.88

$2.01 ISK 250

-44.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.65

$13.54 ISK 1,686

-19.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 CHF 8.07

$23.20 ISK 2,888

-56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.18

$3.70 ISK 460

-25.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CHF 1.97

$3.25 ISK 405

-23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.90

$5.09 ISK 634

-28.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.7

$84.4 ISK 10.5K

18.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.20

$6.25 ISK 778

25.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 CHF 3.28

$2.63 ISK 328

57.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.3 CHF 59.8

$85.6 ISK 10.7K

-12.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.80

$2.49 ISK 311

-9.24%

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

$37.9K CHF 30.1K

$48.1K ISK 6.0M

-21.08%

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

$37.9K CHF 30.1K

$52.4K ISK 6.5M

-27.66%

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

$99.0 CHF 78.6

$68.0 ISK 8,465

45.59%

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

$30.75 CHF 24.41

$27.22 ISK 3,389

12.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CHF 46.25

$86.1 ISK 10.7K

-32.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 CHF 59.5

$64.7 ISK 8,053

15.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 CHF 19.78

Cinema Ticket

$24.82 CHF 19.70

$16.66 ISK 2,074

48.98%

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

$3,421 CHF 2,716

$325 ISK 40.5K

950.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CHF 15.6K

$30.6K ISK 3.8M

-35.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 112

$119 ISK 14.8K

18.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.94 CHF 34.09

$62.5 ISK 7,778

-31.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 CHF 79.2

$119 ISK 14.8K

-16.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 149

$266 ISK 33.1K

-29.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 CHF 1,017

$2,423 ISK 301.6K

-47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 CHF 857

$2,037 ISK 253.6K

-47.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 CHF 1,495

$3,250 ISK 404.7K

-42.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 CHF 1,401

$2,547 ISK 317.0K

-30.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K CHF 7,986

$6,850 ISK 852.8K

46.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,039 CHF 4,000

$6,826 ISK 849.8K

-26.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,884 CHF 5,465

$4,665 ISK 580.8K

47.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

9.63

-78.30%

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

Last update for Solothurn: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,281 in Solothurn versus $2,423 in Hafnarfjordur. 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 48% higher in Solothurn, 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 $139 in Solothurn versus $145 in Hafnarfjordur. Groceries tell a different story – $599 in Solothurn vs $595 in Hafnarfjordur – so Hafnarfjordur 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

Solothurn vs Hafnarfjordur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafnarfjordur costs about 31% more than Solothurn, 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 $4,197 per month in Solothurn and $5,492 in Hafnarfjordur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Solothurn, 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 $2,798 in Solothurn and $3,661 in Hafnarfjordur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Solothurn. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,798 in Solothurn and $3,661 in Hafnarfjordur. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Solothurn – 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 Solothurn. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hafnarfjordur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.