Moving to Iceland from Egypt

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Egypt to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 7.9 times more expensive than Egypt overall. A EGP3,791,250 salary in Egypt would need to be roughly ISK38,412,059 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 82°F in Cairo, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

EGP3,791,250 ISK38,412,059

To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.2 times more

Groceries

pay 6.3 times more

Transportation

pay 6.9 times more

Housing

pay 12.2 times more

Childcare

pay 11.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 5.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EGP = 2.48 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 Egypt to Iceland.

Moved in 2023
11 ↓ 15% vs 2022

people moved from Egypt 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 Egypt.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

EG
1.3
IS
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

EG
9.4
IS
2.4

Iceland performs significantly better than Egypt across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

EG
$905
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

EG
6.8
IS
45.2

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Egypt 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

EG
105.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

EG
2.5t
IS
8.5t

Egypt 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

EG
10.8
IS
38.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

EG
141.2%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than Egypt across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

EG
7.3%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

EG
$17,000
IS
$66,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

EG
74.5 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

EG
17.7
IS
1.6

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

Data: Egyptian Tax Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Cairo Rain: 1.0 in/yr (25 mm)
82° / 62°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Cairo Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 70°/51°F (21°/11°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/65°F (32°/18°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/73°F (34°/23°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/59°F (25°/15°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Cairo Reykjavik
Jan 66°/49°F (19.0°/9.7°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 69°/51°F (20.3°/10.3°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 74°/54°F (23.4°/12.3°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.4°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 89°/65°F (31.9°/18.4°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 94°/71°F (34.6°/21.4°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 95°/73°F (34.8°/22.9°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 94°/74°F (34.5°/23.3°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 92°/71°F (33.1°/21.7°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 85°/66°F (29.7°/19.0°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.6°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 69°/52°F (20.4°/11.0°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA), Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Egypt 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.

Egypt passport

Egypt passport holder visiting Iceland

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

Iceland passport holder visiting Egypt

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

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 Egypt?

On average Iceland is around 309% pricier than Egypt, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Iceland?

Budget about ISK9,603,015 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a EGP3,791,250 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 Egypt across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Egypt.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Egypt?

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Egypt leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 6.8 in Egypt. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Egypt: 70).

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

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 82°F in Cairo. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Cairo gets 1.0 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Egypt, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

EG IS
Population 107,770,524 357,603
Currency Egyptian Pound (EGP) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Arabic Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +20 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 122 112