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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,859 per month in Solothurn vs $3,743 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,521 per month in Solothurn vs $5,243 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,182 per month in Solothurn vs $6,742 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 115%, Hafnarfjordur by 181%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.42 CHF 24.75

$26.51 ISK 3,298

14.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 117

$145 ISK 18.1K

-0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.32 CHF 17.34

$16.15 ISK 2,009

32.01%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.15

$5.95 ISK 740

6.39%

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

$5.52 CHF 4.49

$3.26 ISK 405

69.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.39

$2.61 ISK 325

106.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 CHF 5.47

$12.64 ISK 1,572

-46.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CHF 4.88

$11.36 ISK 1,413

-47.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$1.69 ISK 210

31.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.76

$4.31 ISK 536

-21.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CHF 2.71

$3.56 ISK 443

-6.46%

Eggs

$7.47 CHF 6.07

$6.21 ISK 772

20.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.13 CHF 23.69

$18.06 ISK 2,247

61.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.68 CHF 24.95

$23.82 ISK 2,963

28.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.30 CHF 31.96

$43.07 ISK 5,358

-8.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.46

$3.35 ISK 417

26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 CHF 2.38

$2.34 ISK 291

25.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 CHF 2.55

$3.14 ISK 390

-0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.42

$5.03 ISK 626

-16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CHF 1.52

$3.67 ISK 456

-49.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CHF 1.59

$2.40 ISK 298

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.04

$3.07 ISK 382

-18.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CHF 0.89

$1.92 ISK 238

-43.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.14

$13.77 ISK 1,713

-18.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 CHF 7.83

$23.38 ISK 2,908

-58.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.20

$3.64 ISK 452

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.98

$3.21 ISK 400

-24.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 CHF 2.98

$5.19 ISK 646

-29.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 80.7

$83.2 ISK 10.4K

19.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 CHF 6.32

$6.47 ISK 805

20.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.21 CHF 3.42

$2.52 ISK 314

67.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.0 CHF 60.2

$85.7 ISK 10.7K

-13.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$2.45 ISK 305

-6.12%

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

$37.3K CHF 30.4K

$46.5K ISK 5.8M

-19.65%

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

$38.6K CHF 31.4K

$52.0K ISK 6.5M

-25.77%

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

$99.0 CHF 80.5

$69.5 ISK 8,644

42.48%

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

$31.26 CHF 25.43

$27.05 ISK 3,365

15.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 46.99

$86.3 ISK 10.7K

-33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 CHF 60.9

$64.1 ISK 7,968

16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.46 CHF 19.89

Cinema Ticket

$24.76 CHF 20.14

$16.45 ISK 2,046

50.52%

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

$3,429 CHF 2,789

$321 ISK 40.0K

966.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K CHF 15.7K

$30.1K ISK 3.7M

-35.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 115

$118 ISK 14.7K

19.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 CHF 35.12

$60.9 ISK 7,576

-29.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 CHF 80.6

$121 ISK 15.1K

-18.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 150

$271 ISK 33.7K

-31.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 CHF 1,010

$2,379 ISK 295.9K

-47.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 CHF 856

$2,013 ISK 250.4K

-47.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CHF 1,481

$3,196 ISK 397.5K

-43.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 CHF 1,462

$2,588 ISK 322.0K

-30.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,940 CHF 8,085

$6,883 ISK 856.1K

44.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,798 CHF 3,903

$6,652 ISK 827.5K

-27.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,775 CHF 5,511

$4,538 ISK 564.5K

49.28%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,242 in Solothurn versus $2,379 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 49% 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 $145 in Hafnarfjordur. Groceries tell a different story – $601 in Solothurn vs $593 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 $4,288 per month in Solothurn and $5,615 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 $2,859 in Solothurn and $3,743 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 $2,859 in Solothurn and $3,743 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.