Moving to Iceland from Albania

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Albania to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Albania to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 2.9 times more expensive than Albania overall. A ALL6,149,207 salary in Albania would need to be roughly ISK23,487,575 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Albania to Iceland.

What does your salary buy?

ALL6,149,207 ISK23,487,575

To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.6 times more

Groceries

pay 2.4 times more

Transportation

pay 91.5% more

Housing

pay 4.1 times more

Childcare

pay 4.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.9 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ALL = 1.53 ISK (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Albania to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
50 ↑ 16% vs 2022

people moved from Albania to Iceland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Iceland?

Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Albania and Iceland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AL
1.6
IS
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AL
10.8
IS
2.4

Iceland performs significantly better than Albania across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AL
$1,464
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AL
18.8
IS
45.2

Albania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AL
59.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AL
1.8t
IS
8.5t

Albania generally does better on environment, though Iceland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AL
20.6
IS
38.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AL
4.8%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than Albania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AL
11.6%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AL
$18,100
IS
$66,500

Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Albania leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AL
79.5 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AL
10.8
IS
1.6

Iceland performs significantly better than Albania across all family life metrics.

Data: Albanian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Albania and Iceland. To live, work, or study long-term in Iceland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iceland's immigration authority.

Albania passport

Albania passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Free
Albania passport holders can enter Iceland without a visa.
Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Albania

Visa Free
Iceland passport holders can enter Albania without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Iceland than Albania?

Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 150% higher than Albania on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Iceland?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ALL6,149,207 comparable salary, that's around ISK5,871,894 in Iceland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Iceland?

With 38.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iceland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Albania and Iceland.

Is Iceland safe for expats?

Iceland performs significantly better than Albania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Albania.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Albania?

Albania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 18.8 in Albania. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Albania: 64).

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Albania, the official language is Albanian.

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At a Glance

AL IS
Population 3,095,344 357,603
Currency Albanian Lek (ALL) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Albanian Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +355 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112