Moving to Iceland from Hong Kong
What to Expect
Considering a move from Hong Kong to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Hong Kong to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 16.9% more expensive than Hong Kong overall. A HK$590,000 salary in Hong Kong would need to be roughly ISK10,700,000 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 79°F in Hong Kong, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Hong Kong and Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
HK$590,000 → ISK10,700,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.3 times more
Groceries
pay 7.3% more
Transportation
pay 15.2% less
Housing
pay 1.6% less
Childcare
pay 5.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.7% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Hong Kong.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Hong Kong performs better than Iceland across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Hong Kong performs better than Iceland across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iceland generally does better on infrastructure, though Hong Kong leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Hong Kong generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in gdp per capita.
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 generally does better on family life, though Hong Kong leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), The World Factbook (2016–2022), Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (2016), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hong Kong | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hong Kong | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Hong Kong Observatory,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Hong Kong
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 Hong Kong?
On average Iceland is around 17% pricier than Hong Kong, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK2,675,000 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a HK$590,000 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: 37.5 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?
Hong Kong performs better than Iceland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.4 in Hong Kong.
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Hong Kong?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.
