Moving to Sweden from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 33.5% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly SEK397,195 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iceland to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → SEK397,195
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 32.3% less
Groceries
pay 24.0% less
Transportation
pay 15.1% less
Housing
pay 32.6% less
Childcare
pay 70.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 28.0% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Iceland to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iceland and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
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 Sweden leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Sweden 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 Sweden 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 Sweden 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 Sweden 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 | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Sweden. To live, work, or study long-term in Sweden, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sweden's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden 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 Sweden than Iceland?
Generally yes: Sweden runs about 45% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ISK9,423,000 comparable salary, that's around SEK99,299 in Sweden for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
With 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sweden can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Iceland and Sweden.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
