Moving to New York from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to New York — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to New York, you would find that New York is 13.7% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,100,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $64,400 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — New York City averages 62°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is New York cheaper than Iceland?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 34.1% less
Groceries
pay 8.8% less
Transportation
pay 28.2% less
Housing
pay 1.6% more
Childcare
pay 51.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.0% 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.
What salary do you need in New York?
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,100,000 → $64,400
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to New York
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iceland to New York, and how the trend has changed.
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
How Iceland and New York stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs better than New York 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 performs better than New York across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs better than New York across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in New York vs Iceland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
National Weather Service
Can you move from Iceland to New York?
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 New York than Iceland?
Generally yes: New York runs about 14% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ISK9,100,000 comparable salary, that's around $16,100 in New York for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from New York?
Working remotely from New York's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iceland and New York.
How is healthcare in New York compared to Iceland?
Iceland performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in New York compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in New York City is 62°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. New York City receives around 49.9 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
