Moving to Iceland from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 63.5% more expensive than Canada overall. A CA$106,294 salary in Canada would need to be roughly ISK16,672,805 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Canada and Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,294 → ISK16,672,805
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 71.3% more
Groceries
pay 40.7% more
Transportation
pay 76.3% more
Housing
pay 41.6% more
Childcare
pay 50.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 60.3% 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 Canada to Iceland.
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
- · · ·
-
29.366
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Canada across all safety metrics.
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 generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Iceland leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Canada leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 Canada 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 Canada leads in life expectancy.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
On average Iceland is around 77% pricier than Canada, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK4,168,201 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a CA$106,294 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 Canada across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Canada?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
