Moving to Iceland from Bolivia

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Bolivia to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Bolivia to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 5.4 times more expensive than Bolivia overall. A BOB880,000 salary in Bolivia would need to be roughly ISK49,400,000 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic.

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Is Iceland cheaper than Bolivia?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 8.1 times more

Groceries

pay 3.9 times more

Transportation

pay 3.6 times more

Housing

pay 7.4 times more

Childcare

pay 8.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.7 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BOB = 10.36 ISK (October 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.

What salary do you need in Iceland?

What does your salary buy?

BOB880,000 → ISK49,400,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland

Calculate with your salary →

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Bolivia to Iceland, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
4 ↑ 100% vs 2022

people moved from Bolivia 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bolivia to Iceland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BO
4.4
IS
1.3
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

BO
59%
IS
91%

Iceland performs significantly better than Bolivia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BO
$756
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BO
12.8
IS
43.7

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bolivia 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

BO
54.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BO
2.3t
IS
8.5t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BO
12.1
IS
37.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BO
0.2%
IS
0.4%

Iceland generally does better on infrastructure, though Bolivia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BO
3.0%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BO
$5,148
IS
$98,323

Bolivia generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BO
68.7 yrs
IS
82.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BO
14.2
IS
2.1

Iceland generally does better on family life, though Bolivia leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Autoridad de Impugnación Tributaria (AIT), Bolivia (2016), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016). How we calculate this

Can you move from Bolivia to Iceland?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bolivia 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.

Bolivia passport

Bolivia passport holder visiting Iceland

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

Iceland passport holder visiting Bolivia

Visa Free
Iceland passport holders can enter Bolivia 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 Bolivia?

No — Iceland is on average about 441% more expensive than Bolivia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Iceland?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK12,350,000 in Iceland on a BOB880,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Iceland?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Iceland has 37.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Iceland safe for expats?

Iceland performs significantly better than Bolivia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.4 in Bolivia. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Bolivia?

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bolivia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 43.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 12.8 in Bolivia. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bolivia: 65).

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Bolivia, the official languages are Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua and Spanish.

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At a Glance

BO IS
Population 12,581,843 392,404
Currency Bolivian Boliviano (BOB) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua, Spanish Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +591 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 112