Moving to Ecuador from Iceland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iceland to Ecuador — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iceland to Ecuador, you would find that Ecuador is 62.8% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $22,235 in Ecuador to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Quito averages 71°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?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iceland to Ecuador.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → $22,235
To maintain the same standard of living in Ecuador
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 75.5% less
Groceries
pay 62.0% less
Transportation
pay 62.8% less
Housing
pay 70.0% less
Childcare
pay 56.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 63.1% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iceland to Ecuador.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics.
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
Ecuador 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 Ecuador 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 performs better than Ecuador across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Ecuador leads in unemployment 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 Ecuador 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 | Quito |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 72°/49°F (22°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 70°/49°F (21°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Quito |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Ecuador. To live, work, or study long-term in Ecuador, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ecuador's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Ecuador
Visa Free
Ecuador passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Ecuador than Iceland?
Yes — Ecuador is on average about 70% cheaper than Iceland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Ecuador?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $5,559 in Ecuador on a ISK9,423,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Ecuador?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Ecuador has 15.0 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 Ecuador safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ecuador is 27.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Ecuador compared to Iceland?
Ecuador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ecuador, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Ecuador scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Ecuador compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Quito is 71°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Quito receives around 43.2 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Ecuador?
The official language in Ecuador is Spanish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
