Moving to Argentina from Iceland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Iceland to Argentina, you would find that Argentina is 59.8% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,100,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly ARS45,800,000 in Argentina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Guaraní and Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Buenos Aires averages 73°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Argentina cheaper than Iceland?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 46.0% less

Groceries

pay 51.3% less

Transportation

pay 52.9% less

Housing

pay 71.3% less

Childcare

pay 73.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 58.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ISK = 12.52 ARS (October 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.

What salary do you need in Argentina?

What does your salary buy?

ISK9,100,000 → ARS45,800,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Argentina

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Argentina

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
8

people born in Iceland live in Argentina · UN DESA

Who's moving to Argentina?

Top countries of origin for Argentina's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iceland to Argentina.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IS
1.3
AR
4.5
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IS
91%
AR
48%

Iceland performs better than Argentina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IS
$6,927
AR
$3,089
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IS
43.7
AR
51.1

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IS
8.0
AR
29.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IS
8.5t
AR
4.0t

Iceland generally does better on environment, though Argentina leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IS
37.5
AR
26.1
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IS
0.4%
AR
10.5%

Iceland performs better than Argentina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IS
3.6%
AR
7.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$98,323
AR
$14,898

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IS
82.8 yrs
AR
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IS
2.1
AR
8.0

Iceland performs better than Argentina across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2016–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016), Federal Administration of Public Revenue (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Argentina vs Iceland

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Buenos Aires Rain: 48.7 in/yr (1237 mm)
73° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Buenos Aires
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) 67°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) 64°/48°F (17°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 78°/61°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Buenos Aires
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) 84°/67°F (28.7°/19.2°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) 80°/64°F (26.8°/17.7°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) 73°/57°F (22.9°/13.8°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.7°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.1°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) 60°/45°F (15.3°/7.4°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.8°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.3°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) 73°/56°F (22.7°/13.3°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.4°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office, Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Servicio Meteorológico Nacional

Can you move from Iceland to Argentina?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Argentina. To live, work, or study long-term in Argentina, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Argentina's immigration authority.

Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Argentina

Visa Free
Iceland passport holders can enter Argentina without a visa.
Argentina passport

Argentina passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Free
Argentina passport holders can enter Iceland without a visa.

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 Argentina than Iceland?

Yes — Argentina is on average about 60% cheaper than Iceland. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Argentina?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ARS11,450,000 in Argentina on a ISK9,100,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Argentina?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Argentina has 26.1 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 Argentina safe for expats?

Iceland performs better than Argentina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Argentina is 4.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Iceland. About 48% of people in Argentina feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Argentina compared to Iceland?

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index. There are 51.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Argentina, compared to 43.7 in Iceland. Argentina scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).

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

The average high temperature in Buenos Aires is 73°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Buenos Aires receives around 48.7 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Argentina?

The official languages in Argentina are Guaraní and Spanish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.

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At a Glance

IS AR
Population 392,404 45,851,378
Currency Icelandic Króna (ISK) Argentine Peso (ARS)
Languages Icelandic Guaraní, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +354 +54
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911