Moving to Spain from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Spain? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Spain, you would find that Spain is 37.4% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,402,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly €34,197 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Spain.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,402,000 → €34,197
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 37.4% less
Groceries
pay 40.5% less
Transportation
pay 36.7% less
Housing
pay 29.6% less
Childcare
pay 19.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 53.0% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iceland to Spain.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Spain compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Spain 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 Spain leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Spain 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 performs better than Spain across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Spain leads in top income tax rate.
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 Spain 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 | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Spain
Visa Free
Spain 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 Spain than Iceland?
On average Spain is about 48% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Spain?
Budget about €8,549 for 3 months in Spain (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 Spain?
Connectivity is usually fine (Spain: 36.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Spain offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Spain safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Spain leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland. About 78% of people in Spain feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Spain compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Spain compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
