Moving to Iceland from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 95.8% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly ISK18,938,135 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Costa Rica to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → ISK18,938,135
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.1 times more
Groceries
pay 60.8% more
Transportation
pay 55.0% more
Housing
pay 2.3 times more
Childcare
pay 93.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4 times 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?
How many people actually move from Costa Rica to Iceland, based on official data.
people moved from Costa Rica 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
- · · ·
-
104.18
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Costa Rica 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 Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica generally does better on environment, though Iceland leads in air pollution deaths.
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 Costa Rica 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 Costa Rica 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 performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, 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 | San Jose | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa FreeData: 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 Costa Rica?
No — Iceland is on average about 101% more expensive than Costa Rica. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK4,734,534 in Iceland on a CRC33,997,640 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 38.2 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 Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Costa Rica?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
