Moving to California from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to California — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to California, you would find that California is 6.4% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,100,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $69,900 in California to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Los Angeles averages 75°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 California cheaper than Iceland?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 30.0% less
Groceries
pay 2.9% less
Transportation
pay 26.4% less
Housing
pay 19.2% more
Childcare
pay 48.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.3% less
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 California?
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,100,000 → $69,900
To maintain the same standard of living in California
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to California
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iceland to California, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Iceland to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
146.8,241
Iceland
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iceland and California stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs better than California across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Iceland performs better than California across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs better than California across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in California vs Iceland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 69°/49°F (21°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 83°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 68°/48°F (20.1°/8.8°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 69°/49°F (20.3°/9.6°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 70°/51°F (21.2°/10.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 73°/53°F (22.6°/11.9°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 83°/64°F (28.4°/17.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 84°/64°F (29.1°/17.8°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 83°/63°F (28.4°/17.3°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 78°/59°F (25.8°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 73°/52°F (22.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
National Weather Service
Can you move from Iceland to California?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Iceland
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 California than Iceland?
Generally yes: California runs about 6% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to California?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ISK9,100,000 comparable salary, that's around $17,475 in California for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from California?
Working remotely from California's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iceland and California.
How is healthcare in California compared to Iceland?
Iceland performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in California compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Los Angeles is 75°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Los Angeles receives around 14.9 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in California?
The official language in California is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
