Moving to Missouri from Iceland

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Iceland to Missouri — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Iceland to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 12.0% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,414,750 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $37,385 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbia averages 66°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iceland to Missouri.

What does your salary buy?

ISK9,414,750 $37,385

To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 37.1% less

Groceries

pay 12.8% less

Transportation

pay 27.4% less

Housing

pay 1.2% less

Childcare

pay 84.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 39.0% 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Iceland to Missouri, based on official data.

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iceland to Missouri.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

IS
21.9%
MO
37.5%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

IS
100.0%
MO
88.3%

Iceland performs better than Missouri 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%
MO
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$66,500
MO
$56,344

Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IS
83.6 yrs
MO
75.1 yrs

Iceland performs better than Missouri 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

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Columbia
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) 76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 55°/36°F (13°/2°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Columbia
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°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 Missouri than Iceland?

Yes — Missouri is on average about 50% cheaper than Iceland. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Missouri?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $9,346 in Missouri on a ISK9,414,750 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Missouri?

Usually fine from major cities in Missouri. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Missouri compared to Iceland?

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

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

The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Missouri?

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

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At a Glance

IS
Population 357,603 5,988,927
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