Moving to Iceland from El Salvador

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from El Salvador to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 87°F in San Salvador, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
7 ↓ 22% vs 2022

people moved from El Salvador 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 El Salvador to Iceland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SV
7.8
IS
1.1
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

SV
38%
IS
91%

Iceland performs significantly better than El Salvador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SV
$1,176
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SV
15.5
IS
45.2

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador 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

SV
31.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SV
1.5t
IS
8.5t

El Salvador 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

SV
10.6
IS
38.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SV
13.2%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than El Salvador across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SV
2.8%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SV
$11,300
IS
$66,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SV
75.4 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SV
12.1
IS
1.6

Iceland performs significantly better than El Salvador across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

San Salvador Rain: 70.0 in/yr (1777 mm)
87° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Salvador Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month San Salvador Reykjavik
Jan 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología, Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between El Salvador 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.

El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Free
El Salvador passport holders can enter Iceland without a visa.
Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting El Salvador

Visa Free
Iceland passport holders can enter El Salvador without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 El Salvador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 7.8 in El Salvador. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to El Salvador?

Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 15.5 in El Salvador. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).

What's the weather like in Iceland compared to El Salvador?

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In El Salvador, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

SV IS
Population 6,568,745 357,603
Currency Salvadoran Colón (SVC) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Spanish Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +503 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112