Moving to Gambia from Iceland

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to Gambia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Iceland to Gambia, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Banjul averages 90°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Iceland and Gambia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IS
91%
GM
59%
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IS
2.4
GM
22.0

Iceland performs better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IS
$6,927
GM
$94
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IS
45.2
GM
1.0

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IS
8.0
GM
90.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IS
8.5t
GM
0.2t

Iceland generally does better on environment, though Gambia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IS
38.2
GM
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IS
0.4%
GM
2.2%

Iceland performs better than Gambia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IS
3.6%
GM
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$66,500
GM
$2,900

Iceland performs better than Gambia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IS
83.6 yrs
GM
67.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IS
1.6
GM
37.2

Iceland performs better than Gambia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Reykjavik Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
45° / 35°F

Avg. annual high / low

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Banjul
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 91°/65°F (33°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) 89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 92°/71°F (33°/22°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Banjul
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office, Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Gambia. To live, work, or study long-term in Gambia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Gambia's immigration authority.

Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Iceland passport holders can enter Gambia without a visa.
Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Required
Gambia passport holders need a visa to enter Iceland.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Gambia?

With 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Gambia 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 Gambia.

Is Gambia safe for expats?

Iceland performs better than Gambia across all safety metrics. About 59% of people in Gambia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Gambia compared to Iceland?

Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Gambia, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Gambia scores 46 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).

What's the weather like in Gambia compared to Iceland?

The average high temperature in Banjul is 90°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Banjul receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Gambia?

The official language in Gambia is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.

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At a Glance

IS GM
Population 357,603 2,413,403
Currency Icelandic Króna (ISK) Gambian Dalasi (GMD)
Languages Icelandic English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +354 +220
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112