Moving to Syria from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Syria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Syria, you would find that Syria is 79.8% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,200,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly SYP198,000,000 in Syria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Damascus averages 78°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Syria.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,200,000 → SYP198,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Syria
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 76.3% less
Groceries
pay 70.2% less
Transportation
pay 64.2% less
Housing
pay 88.0% less
Childcare
pay 93.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 78.1% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Syria compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs better than Syria across all safety metrics.
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 Syria 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 Syria 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 Syria 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 Syria 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 Syria across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016), Ministry of Finance, Syria (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | Damascus |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Damascus |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Syria. To live, work, or study long-term in Syria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Syria's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Syria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Syria passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Syria than Iceland?
On average Syria is about 80% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Syria?
Budget about SYP49,500,000 for 3 months in Syria (based on a ISK9,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Syria?
Connectivity is usually fine (Syria: 6.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Syria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Syria safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Syria is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Syria compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 15.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Syria, compared to 43.7 in Iceland. Syria scores 64 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Syria compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Damascus is 78°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Damascus receives around 5.3 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Syria?
The official language in Syria is Arabic. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
