Moving to Iceland from Eritrea

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Eritrea to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 74°F in Asmara, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Eritrea to Iceland.

Moved in 2021
1

people moved from Eritrea 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 Eritrea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ER
14.6
IS
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ER
17.7
IS
2.4

Iceland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

ER
$87
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ER
0.7
IS
45.2

Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ER
78.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ER
0.2t
IS
8.5t

Eritrea 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

ER
0.2
IS
38.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ER
11.2%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ER
5.9%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ER
$1,600
IS
$66,500

Iceland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ER
66.8 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ER
41.5
IS
1.6

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

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Asmara Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
74° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Asmara Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 75°/44°F (24°/7°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/51°F (25°/11°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/51°F (22°/10°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/46°F (22°/8°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Asmara Reykjavik
Jan 73°/42°F (22.6°/5.6°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 75°/44°F (23.9°/6.7°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 77°/47°F (25.1°/8.5°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 76°/50°F (24.5°/9.9°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.2°/10.9°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 77°/52°F (25.1°/11.2°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.4°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 71°/53°F (21.6°/11.4°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 74°/48°F (23.2°/8.7°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 71°/48°F (21.8°/8.8°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 71°/46°F (21.6°/7.5°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 71°/43°F (21.7°/6.2°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: Civil Aviation Authority Civil Aviation Authority, Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Eritrea 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.

Eritrea passport

Eritrea passport holder visiting Iceland

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

Iceland passport holder visiting Eritrea

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

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?

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 Eritrea across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 14.6 in Eritrea.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Eritrea?

Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 0.7 in Eritrea. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Eritrea: 45).

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

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 74°F in Asmara. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Asmara gets 20.9 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Eritrea, the official languages are Arabic, English and Tigrinya.

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At a Glance

ER IS
Population 6,209,262 357,603
Currency Eritrean Nakfa (ERN) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Arabic, English, Tigrinya Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +291 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112