Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Iceland instead of New York, you would:

Health

live 5.9 years longer

In New York, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Iceland, that number is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

be 19.1% less likely to be unemployed

In New York, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Iceland, that number is 3.6% as of 2023.

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make 27.7% less money

New York has a GDP per capita of $91,992 as of 2024, while in Iceland, the GDP per capita is $66,500 as of 2023.

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Basic Needs

be 11.5% more likely to have internet access

In New York, approximately 89.7% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Iceland, about 100.0% do as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: New York vs. Iceland
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Iceland is 32.6% more expensive than New York
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Size Comparison · See true size
New York is about 1.2 times bigger than Iceland.
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Iceland: At a glance

Iceland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 100,250 sq km. Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.
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How big is Iceland compared to New York? See an in-depth size comparison.

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