Moving to Hong Kong from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to Hong Kong — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to Hong Kong, you would find that Hong Kong is 4.3% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly HK$459,406 in Hong Kong to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Hong Kong averages 79°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 Hong Kong.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → HK$459,406
To maintain the same standard of living in Hong Kong
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 63.6% less
Groceries
pay 11.5% less
Transportation
pay 14.2% less
Housing
pay 22.6% more
Childcare
pay 91.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.3% 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
How Iceland and Hong Kong stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Hong Kong performs significantly better than Iceland across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Hong Kong performs significantly better than Iceland across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iceland generally does better on infrastructure, though Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong 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 | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Hong Kong Observatory
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Hong Kong. To live, work, or study long-term in Hong Kong, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Hong Kong's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Hong Kong
Visa Free
Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong than Iceland?
Generally yes: Hong Kong runs about 22% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Hong Kong?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ISK9,423,000 comparable salary, that's around HK$114,852 in Hong Kong for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Hong Kong?
With 39.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong.
Is Hong Kong safe for expats?
Hong Kong performs significantly better than Iceland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hong Kong is 0.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
What's the weather like in Hong Kong compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Hong Kong is 79°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Hong Kong receives around 95.7 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Hong Kong?
The official languages in Hong Kong are Chinese and English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
