Moving to Iceland from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 37.9% more expensive than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly ISK12,900,000 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Australia and Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → ISK12,900,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 68.6% more
Groceries
pay 28.2% more
Transportation
pay 43.0% more
Housing
pay 44.0% more
Childcare
pay 19.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.6% more
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?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Iceland.
people moved from Australia to Iceland · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Iceland?
Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.
- 21,102
- 3,918
- 3,171
- 2,604
- 2,357
- 2,284
- · · ·
-
45.172
Australia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Iceland performs significantly better than Australia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Australia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iceland performs significantly better than Australia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Iceland generally does better on family life, though Australia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia 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.
Australia passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Australia?
On average Iceland is around 38% pricier than Australia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK3,225,000 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a A$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iceland: 37.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Iceland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Australia generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Australia?
Iceland performs significantly better than Australia across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 43.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Australia, the official language is English.
