Moving to Finland from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Finland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Finland, you would find that Finland is 29.9% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,402,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly €35,403 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Finland.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,402,000 → €35,403
To maintain the same standard of living in Finland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 30.7% less
Groceries
pay 36.5% less
Transportation
pay 19.6% less
Housing
pay 33.2% less
Childcare
pay 32.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.6% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Iceland to Finland.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Finland compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs better than Finland 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
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Finland performs significantly better than Iceland across all environment metrics.
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 Finland 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 performs better than Finland across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Finland 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 | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Finland. To live, work, or study long-term in Finland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Finland's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Finland
Visa Free
Finland 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 Finland than Iceland?
On average Finland is about 46% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Finland?
Budget about €8,851 for 3 months in Finland (based on a ISK9,402,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Finland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Finland: 34.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Finland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Finland safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than Finland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland. About 86% of people in Finland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Finland compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Finland compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Finland?
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
