Moving to Benin from Iceland

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Iceland to Benin, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Iceland and Benin stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IS
2.4
BJ
24.8

Iceland performs better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IS
$6,927
BJ
$138
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IS
45.2
BJ
2.0

Benin 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

IS
8.0
BJ
77.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IS
8.5t
BJ
0.5t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

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

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IS
0.4%
BJ
1.0%

Iceland performs better than Benin across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IS
3.6%
BJ
1.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$66,500
BJ
$3,800

Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Benin leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IS
83.6 yrs
BJ
62.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IS
1.6
BJ
55.8

Iceland performs better than Benin 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Porto-novo Rain: 47.0 in/yr (1194 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Porto-novo
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Porto-novo
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office, Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Benin

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Iceland passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Benin.
Benin passport

Benin passport holder visiting Iceland

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Benin?

With 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Benin can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Iceland and Benin.

Is Benin safe for expats?

Iceland performs better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Benin compared to Iceland?

Benin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Benin, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Benin scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).

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

The average high temperature in Porto-novo is None°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Porto-novo receives around 47.0 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Benin?

The official language in Benin is French. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.

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At a Glance

IS BJ
Population 357,603 13,754,688
Currency Icelandic Króna (ISK) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Icelandic French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +354 +229
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112