Moving to Ohio from Iceland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iceland to Ohio — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iceland to Ohio, you would find that Ohio is 10.9% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,414,750 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $37,434 in Ohio to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbus averages 76°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 Ohio.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,414,750 → $37,434
To maintain the same standard of living in Ohio
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 37.6% less
Groceries
pay 20.1% less
Transportation
pay 33.0% less
Housing
pay 2.0% more
Childcare
pay 2.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 38.2% 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?
How many people actually move from Iceland to Ohio, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iceland to Ohio.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs better than Ohio 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 Ohio across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs better than Ohio 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 | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 84°/62°F (29°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 90°/71°F (32°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 58°/37°F (14.2°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 62°/40°F (16.7°/4.5°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 77°/53°F (24.8°/11.4°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 84°/62°F (28.9°/16.6°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 90°/70°F (32.2°/20.9°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 91°/72°F (33.0°/22.4°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 86°/67°F (30.2°/19.3°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.1°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 59°/39°F (15.2°/3.8°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 Ohio than Iceland?
Yes — Ohio is on average about 50% cheaper than Iceland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Ohio?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $9,358 in Ohio 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 Ohio?
Usually fine from major cities in Ohio. 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 Ohio compared to Iceland?
Iceland performs better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Ohio compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Columbus is 76°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Columbus receives around 46.8 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Ohio?
The official language in Ohio is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
