Moving to Sierra Leone from Iceland

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Iceland to Sierra Leone? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Iceland to Sierra Leone, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Freetown averages 86°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Sierra Leone compared to Iceland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IS
1.1
SL
2.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IS
2.4
SL
13.8

Iceland performs better than Sierra Leone across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IS
$6,927
SL
$159
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IS
45.2
SL
0.4

Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IS
8.0
SL
97.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IS
8.5t
SL
0.2t

Iceland generally does better on environment, though Sierra Leone leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IS
38.2
SL
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IS
0.4%
SL
0.5%

Iceland performs better than Sierra Leone across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IS
3.6%
SL
3.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$66,500
SL
$1,700

Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Sierra Leone 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
SL
58.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IS
1.6
SL
73.4

Iceland generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone leads in education spending.

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.

Reykjavik Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
45° / 35°F

Avg. annual high / low

Freetown Rain: 116.0 in/yr (2946 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Freetown
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) 87°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 86°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Freetown
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office, Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Sierra Leone. To live, work, or study long-term in Sierra Leone, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sierra Leone's immigration authority.

Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Sierra Leone

Visa Required
Iceland passport holders need a visa to enter Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone passport

Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Required
Sierra Leone passport holders need a visa to enter Iceland.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sierra Leone?

Connectivity is usually fine (Sierra Leone: 0.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Sierra Leone offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Sierra Leone safe for expats?

Iceland performs better than Sierra Leone across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sierra Leone is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.

How is healthcare in Sierra Leone compared to Iceland?

Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Sierra Leone, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Sierra Leone scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).

What's the weather like in Sierra Leone compared to Iceland?

The average high temperature in Freetown is 86°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Freetown receives around 116.0 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Sierra Leone?

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

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At a Glance

IS SL
Population 357,603 8,692,606
Currency Icelandic Króna (ISK) Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL)
Languages Icelandic English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +354 +232
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112