Moving to Netherlands from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Netherlands? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 18.6% more expensive than Iceland overall. A ISK9,402,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly €45,125 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Netherlands.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,402,000 → €45,125
To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 8.4% less
Groceries
pay 29.2% less
Transportation
pay 0.2% less
Housing
pay 22.1% more
Childcare
pay 3.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.4% 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 Netherlands.
people moved from Iceland to Netherlands · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Netherlands compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Netherlands 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
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in adult obesity rate.
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 Netherlands 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 Netherlands leads in gdp per capita.
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 Netherlands 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 | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Netherlands. To live, work, or study long-term in Netherlands, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Netherlands's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Netherlands
Visa Free
Netherlands 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 Netherlands than Iceland?
On average Netherlands is about 31% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?
Budget about €11,281 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a ISK9,402,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Netherlands?
Connectivity is usually fine (Netherlands: 44.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Netherlands offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Netherlands safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Netherlands leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Netherlands is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in adult obesity rate. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Netherlands compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Netherlands?
The official language in Netherlands is Dutch. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
