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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,796 per month in Solothurn vs $3,883 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Solothurn vs $5,451 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,239 per month in Solothurn vs $7,020 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Solothurn is about 28% cheaper than Hafnarfjordur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Solothurn and Hafnarfjordur sit above the global median – Solothurn by 104%, Hafnarfjordur by 184%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.14 CHF 25.71

$29.94 ISK 3,646

4.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 119

$138 ISK 16.8K

4.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.62 CHF 15.37

$16.77 ISK 2,043

11.03%

Cappuccino

$6.58 CHF 5.43

$6.76 ISK 824

-2.66%

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

$5.37 CHF 4.43

$3.40 ISK 414

57.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 CHF 4.43

$3.19 ISK 389

68.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 CHF 5.70

$14.25 ISK 1,735

-51.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CHF 4.93

$12.40 ISK 1,510

-51.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.83

$1.71 ISK 209

29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 CHF 3.26

$4.27 ISK 521

-7.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.94

$3.68 ISK 448

-3.26%

Eggs

$8.47 CHF 6.99

$7.36 ISK 896

15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.62 CHF 18.67

$21.02 ISK 2,560

7.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.36 CHF 21.75

$25.05 ISK 3,051

5.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$60.9 CHF 50.3

$42.64 ISK 5,193

42.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.41

$3.36 ISK 410

-13.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CHF 1.19

$2.49 ISK 303

-41.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.99

$3.21 ISK 391

12.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 CHF 3.47

$6.43 ISK 783

-34.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 CHF 1.38

$3.98 ISK 484

-58.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.47

$1.65 ISK 201

7.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 CHF 1.33

$3.79 ISK 461

-57.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CHF 0.86

$1.82 ISK 221

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.99

$14.15 ISK 1,724

-23.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 CHF 11.31

$23.99 ISK 2,922

-42.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CHF 2.26

$3.86 ISK 471

-29.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CHF 2.60

$3.45 ISK 421

-8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.73 CHF 3.90

$5.33 ISK 649

-11.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 ISK 10.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 CHF 6.73

$6.72 ISK 818

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.59 CHF 3.79

$2.80 ISK 341

63.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$90.8 CHF 74.9

$73.9 ISK 8,997

22.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.91

$1.93 ISK 235

19.69%

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

$30.8K CHF 25.4K

$50.3K ISK 6.1M

-38.72%

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

$36.6K CHF 30.2K

$53.7K ISK 6.5M

-31.84%

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

$98.8 CHF 81.6

$68.8 ISK 8,382

43.59%

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

$30.93 CHF 25.53

$33.41 ISK 4,070

-7.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 CHF 47.41

$84.7 ISK 10.3K

-32.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.7 CHF 75.7

$66.2 ISK 8,067

38.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 CHF 14.05

Cinema Ticket

$18.40 CHF 15.18

$16.76 ISK 2,042

9.79%

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

$3,627 CHF 2,994

$1,190 ISK 145.0K

204.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 16.1K

$31.5K ISK 3.8M

-38.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 118

$124 ISK 15.1K

15.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CHF 34.93

$66.9 ISK 8,152

-36.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 CHF 136

$122 ISK 14.8K

35.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$265 CHF 218

$254 ISK 31.0K

4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CHF 960

$2,445 ISK 297.8K

-52.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 CHF 856

$2,055 ISK 250.4K

-49.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 CHF 1,529

$3,353 ISK 408.4K

-44.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 CHF 1,445

$2,683 ISK 326.7K

-34.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,663 CHF 7,976

$7,113 ISK 866.4K

35.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,869 CHF 4,019

$7,146 ISK 870.4K

-31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,035 CHF 5,806

$4,674 ISK 569.3K

50.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

8.88

-76.69%

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

Last update for Solothurn: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,163 in Solothurn versus $2,445 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 51% 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 $144 in Solothurn versus $138 in Hafnarfjordur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $626 vs $623 – making Hafnarfjordur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 39% more than Solothurn, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,194 per month in Solothurn and $5,824 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 $2,796 in Solothurn and $3,883 in Hafnarfjordur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $3,627 per month in Solothurn and $1,190 in Hafnarfjordur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,796 in Solothurn and $3,883 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.