Moving to Minnesota from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Minnesota? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Minnesota, you would find that Minnesota is 4.1% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,414,750 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $41,416 in Minnesota to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Saint Paul averages 56°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 Minnesota.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,414,750 → $41,416
To maintain the same standard of living in Minnesota
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 31.1% less
Groceries
pay 7.0% less
Transportation
pay 37.7% less
Housing
pay 2.0% less
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.2% 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 Minnesota.
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.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
146.8,241
Iceland
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Minnesota compared to Iceland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs better than Minnesota across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Minnesota leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs better than Minnesota across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | Saint Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Saint Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
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 holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 Minnesota than Iceland?
On average Minnesota is about 45% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Minnesota?
Budget about $10,354 for 3 months in Minnesota (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 Minnesota?
From major Minnesota cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iceland and Minnesota are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Minnesota compared to Iceland?
Iceland performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Minnesota compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Saint Paul is 56°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Saint Paul receives around 28.5 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Minnesota?
The official language in Minnesota is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
