Moving to Italy from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Italy? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Italy, you would find that Italy is 27.4% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly €35,032 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Rome averages 69°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Italy.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → €35,032
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 32.9% less
Groceries
pay 31.5% less
Transportation
pay 28.3% less
Housing
pay 12.5% less
Childcare
pay 2.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.6% 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 Italy.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Italy 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 generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate.
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
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Italy 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 Italy 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 Italy 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 Italy 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 | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Italy. To live, work, or study long-term in Italy, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Italy's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy 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 Italy than Iceland?
On average Italy is about 47% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
Budget about €8,758 for 3 months in Italy (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 Italy?
Connectivity is usually fine (Italy: 31.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Italy offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Italy safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland. About 61% of people in Italy feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to Iceland?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
