Moving to Louisiana from Iceland

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Iceland to Louisiana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Iceland to Louisiana, you would find that Louisiana is 9.4% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,414,750 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $39,068 in Louisiana to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baton Rouge averages 79°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Louisiana.

What does your salary buy?

ISK9,414,750 $39,068

To maintain the same standard of living in Louisiana

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 36.8% less

Groceries

pay 16.6% less

Transportation

pay 47.5% less

Housing

pay 3.4% less

Childcare

pay 2.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 34.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ISK = 0.008 USD (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Get free moving quotes to Louisiana

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Iceland to Louisiana.

Moved in 2023
60 ↓ 15% vs 2022

people moved from Iceland to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Louisiana compared to Iceland.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

IS
21.9%
LA
40.6%

Iceland performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

IS
100.0%
LA
84.9%

Iceland performs better than Louisiana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IS
3.6%
LA
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$66,500
LA
$55,662

Iceland performs better than Louisiana 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
LA
73.1 yrs

Iceland performs better than Louisiana across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

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

Baton Rouge Rain: 60.6 in/yr (1540 mm)
79° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Baton Rouge
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 67°/45°F (19°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) 85°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) 91°/72°F (33°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Baton Rouge
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.9°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) 73°/50°F (22.6°/10.2°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) 79°/57°F (26.3°/13.8°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.4°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) 91°/71°F (32.7°/21.9°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) 92°/74°F (33.4°/23.2°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) 92°/73°F (33.6°/23.0°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) 89°/69°F (31.5°/20.3°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 64°/43°F (17.8°/5.9°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Iceland passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Iceland without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Louisiana than Iceland?

On average Louisiana is about 48% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Louisiana?

Budget about $9,767 for 3 months in Louisiana (based on a ISK9,414,750 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Louisiana?

From major Louisiana cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iceland and Louisiana are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Louisiana compared to Iceland?

Iceland performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Baton Rouge is 79°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Baton Rouge receives around 60.6 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Louisiana?

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

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At a Glance

IS
Population 357,603 4,533,372
Currency Icelandic Króna (ISK) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Icelandic English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +354 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911