Moving to Iceland from Guinea-Bissau

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Guinea-Bissau to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Guinea-Bissau to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 90°F in Bissau, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Guinea-Bissau to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2017
1

people moved from Guinea-Bissau 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

How Guinea-Bissau and Iceland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GW
1.1
IS
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GW
30.5
IS
2.4

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GW
$247
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GW
2.1
IS
45.2

Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
89.0
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GW
0.2t
IS
8.5t

Guinea-Bissau 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

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

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GW
1.5%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than Guinea-Bissau across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GW
3.2%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GW
$2,400
IS
$66,500

Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Guinea-Bissau leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GW
63.7 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GW
49.0
IS
1.6

Iceland performs significantly better than Guinea-Bissau 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.

Bissau Rain: 69.1 in/yr (1756 mm)
90° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bissau Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 92°/67°F (33°/20°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/66°F (33°/19°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/68°F (30°/20°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/69°F (32°/21°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Bissau Reykjavik
Jan 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.4°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.0°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 90°/63°F (32.1°/17.1°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 92°/64°F (33.4°/17.7°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.3°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 89°/68°F (31.4°/20.0°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 88°/68°F (30.9°/20.1°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.2°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 86°/67°F (30.0°/19.3°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.5°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.6°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau, Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guinea-Bissau 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.

Guinea-Bissau passport

Guinea-Bissau passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Required
Guinea-Bissau passport holders need a visa to enter Iceland.
Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Guinea-Bissau

Visa on Arrival
Iceland passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau.

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?

With 38.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iceland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Guinea-Bissau and Iceland.

Is Iceland safe for expats?

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Guinea-Bissau.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Guinea-Bissau?

Guinea-Bissau 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 2.1 in Guinea-Bissau. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guinea-Bissau: 37).

What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Guinea-Bissau?

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 90°F in Bissau. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Bissau gets 69.1 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Guinea-Bissau, the official languages are Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole.

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At a Glance

GW IS
Population 2,026,778 357,603
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +245 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112