Moving to France from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to France? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to France, you would find that France is 17.4% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,104,250 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly €36,857 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Paris averages 60°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and France.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,104,250 → €36,857
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 28.2% less
Groceries
pay 23.7% less
Transportation
pay 23.7% less
Housing
pay 13.6% less
Childcare
pay 32.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.1% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iceland to France.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in France 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 France 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 France 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
Iceland generally does better on environment, though France 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 France 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 performs better than France 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 France 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 | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and France. To live, work, or study long-term in France, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check France's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France 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 France than Iceland?
On average France is about 43% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Budget about €9,214 for 3 months in France (based on a ISK9,104,250 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from France?
Connectivity is usually fine (France: 49.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does France offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is France safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than France across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in France compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
