Moving to Iceland from Belarus

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Belarus to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 4.5 times more expensive than Belarus overall. A BYN214,615 salary in Belarus would need to be roughly ISK37,552,037 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?

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

What does your salary buy?

BYN214,615 ISK37,552,037

To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 5.0 times more

Groceries

pay 4.1 times more

Transportation

pay 4.6 times more

Housing

pay 6.9 times more

Childcare

pay 2.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BYN = 43.91 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 Belarus to Iceland.

Moved in 2023
15 ↑ 114% vs 2022

people moved from Belarus 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 Belarus.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

BY
7.4
IS
2.4

Iceland performs significantly better than Belarus across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BY
$2,194
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BY
44.7
IS
45.2

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belarus leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BY
68.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BY
5.9t
IS
8.5t

Belarus 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

BY
32.8
IS
38.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BY
4.7%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than Belarus across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BY
3.6%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BY
$27,700
IS
$66,500

Belarus generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BY
74.3 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BY
3.3
IS
1.6

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

Data: Ministry for Taxes and Levies of the Republic of Belarus, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Minsk Rain: 26.7 in/yr (677 mm)
50° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Minsk Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/51°F (20°/11°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Minsk Reykjavik
Jan 24°/14°F (-4.2°/-9.8°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 28°/16°F (-2.5°/-8.9°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 36°/23°F (2.4°/-4.8°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.8°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 70°/52°F (21.3°/11.1°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 72°/55°F (22.3°/12.6°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.7°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.8°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 50°/38°F (9.9°/3.3°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.1°/-1.3°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 29°/21°F (-1.5°/-6.2°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: Republican center for hydrometeorology, control of radioactive contamination and enviromental monitoring Republican center for hydrometeorology, control of radioactive contamination and enviromental monitoring, Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belarus 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.

Belarus passport

Belarus passport holder visiting Iceland

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

Iceland passport holder visiting Belarus

Visa Free
Iceland passport holders can enter Belarus 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 Belarus?

On average Iceland is around 299% pricier than Belarus, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Iceland?

Budget about ISK9,388,009 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a BYN214,615 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 Belarus across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Belarus.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Belarus?

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belarus leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 44.7 in Belarus. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belarus: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 50°F in Minsk. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Minsk gets 26.7 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Belarus, the official languages are Belarusian and Russian.

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At a Glance

BY IS
Population 9,413,505 357,603
Currency New Belarusian Ruble (BYN) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Belarusian, Russian Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +375 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112