Moving to Portugal from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Portugal? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 38.7% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly €33,023 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → €33,023
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 48.2% less
Groceries
pay 45.7% less
Transportation
pay 38.1% less
Housing
pay 31.3% less
Childcare
pay 6.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 57.2% 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 Portugal.
Who's moving to Portugal?
Top countries of origin for Portugal's foreign-born residents.
- 179,524
- 154,017
- 104,164
- 80,570
- 68,299
- 53,384
- · · ·
-
125.30
Iceland
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Portugal 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 Portugal 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
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index.
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 Portugal 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 Portugal 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 performs better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Portugal 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 | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Portugal. To live, work, or study long-term in Portugal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Portugal's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Free
Portugal 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 Portugal than Iceland?
On average Portugal is about 50% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Budget about €8,256 for 3 months in Portugal (based on a ISK9,423,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
Connectivity is usually fine (Portugal: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Portugal safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Portugal leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Iceland?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
