Moving to India from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to India? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to India, you would find that India is 81.6% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly ₹1,065,083 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and India.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → ₹1,065,083
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 88.8% less
Groceries
pay 77.1% less
Transportation
pay 76.0% less
Housing
pay 84.8% less
Childcare
pay 89.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 78.3% 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
The numbers behind daily life in India compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs better than India 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 India 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 India 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 India 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 India 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 India 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 | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India 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 India than Iceland?
On average India is about 85% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Budget about ₹266,271 for 3 months in India (based on a ISK9,423,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
Connectivity is usually fine (India: 2.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does India offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is India safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than India across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in India compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.3 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in India compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
