Moving to Iceland from Bangladesh

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Bangladesh to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Bangladesh to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 10.1 times more expensive than Bangladesh overall. A BDT9,234,299 salary in Bangladesh would need to be roughly ISK46,676,793 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 87°F in Dhaka, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Bangladesh and Iceland.

What does your salary buy?

BDT9,234,299 ISK46,676,793

To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 12.2 times more

Groceries

pay 5.6 times more

Transportation

pay 4.7 times more

Housing

pay 17.7 times more

Childcare

pay 20.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.5 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BDT = 1.02 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?

What the data shows about people moving from Bangladesh to Iceland.

Moved in 2023
7 ↓ 12% vs 2022

people moved from Bangladesh 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

The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Bangladesh.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BD
2.3
IS
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BD
18.6
IS
2.4

Iceland performs significantly better than Bangladesh across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BD
$198
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BD
6.7
IS
45.2

Bangladesh 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

BD
66.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BD
0.7t
IS
8.5t

Bangladesh 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

BD
7.1
IS
38.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BD
5.7%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than Bangladesh across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BD
5.1%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BD
$8,200
IS
$66,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BD
74.7 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BD
30.4
IS
1.6

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

Data: National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dhaka Rain: 84.8 in/yr (2154 mm)
87° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Reykjavik Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
45° / 35°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dhaka Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 84°/61°F (29°/16°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/79°F (32°/26°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/67°F (29°/19°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Dhaka Reykjavik
Jan 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.7°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 83°/60°F (28.1°/15.5°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 90°/69°F (32.4°/20.3°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 93°/74°F (33.8°/23.6°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 91°/76°F (32.9°/24.5°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.1°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 89°/79°F (31.4°/26.2°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 89°/79°F (31.6°/26.3°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 89°/79°F (31.8°/25.9°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.8°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 85°/67°F (29.6°/19.2°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 80°/58°F (26.4°/14.3°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bangladesh 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.

Bangladesh passport

Bangladesh passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Required
Bangladesh passport holders need a visa to enter Iceland.
Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Bangladesh

Visa on Arrival
Iceland passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Bangladesh.

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 Bangladesh?

On average Iceland is around 396% pricier than Bangladesh, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Iceland?

Budget about ISK11,669,198 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a BDT9,234,299 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: 38.2 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?

Iceland performs significantly better than Bangladesh across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Bangladesh.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Bangladesh?

Bangladesh 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 6.7 in Bangladesh. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bangladesh: 52).

What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Bangladesh?

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 87°F in Dhaka. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Dhaka gets 84.8 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Bangladesh, the official language is Bengali.

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At a Glance

BD IS
Population 165,650,475 357,603
Currency Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Bengali Icelandic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +880 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112