Moving to Cyprus from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to Cyprus — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to Cyprus, you would find that Cyprus is 30.1% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly €35,219 in Cyprus to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek and Turkish. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nicosia averages 80°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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iceland to Cyprus.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → €35,219
To maintain the same standard of living in Cyprus
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 43.3% less
Groceries
pay 35.8% less
Transportation
pay 31.2% less
Housing
pay 10.8% less
Childcare
pay 13.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.8% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iceland to Cyprus, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iceland and Cyprus stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Cyprus leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cyprus generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iceland generally does better on environment, though Cyprus leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iceland generally does better on infrastructure, though Cyprus 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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Cyprus leads in top income tax rate.
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 performs better than Cyprus across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of Internal Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | Nicosia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 63°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 85°/60°F (29°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 97°/71°F (36°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Nicosia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 60°/42°F (15.7°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.0°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 68°/46°F (20.1°/7.8°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 85°/59°F (29.6°/15.2°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 94°/68°F (34.3°/20.0°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 92°/67°F (33.6°/19.5°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.6°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 64°/45°F (17.8°/7.3°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Cyprus. To live, work, or study long-term in Cyprus, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Cyprus's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Cyprus
Visa Free
Cyprus 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 Cyprus than Iceland?
Generally yes: Cyprus runs about 46% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Cyprus?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ISK9,423,000 comparable salary, that's around €8,805 in Cyprus for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Cyprus?
With 38.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cyprus 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 Cyprus.
Is Cyprus safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Cyprus leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Cyprus is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Cyprus compared to Iceland?
Cyprus generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Cyprus, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Cyprus scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Cyprus compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Nicosia is 80°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Nicosia receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Cyprus?
The official languages in Cyprus are Greek and Turkish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
