Moving to Turkey from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to Turkey — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 52.3% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,402,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly TRY1,487,817 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ankara averages 64°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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 Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,402,000 → TRY1,487,817
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 70.6% less
Groceries
pay 64.7% less
Transportation
pay 47.2% less
Housing
pay 68.0% less
Childcare
pay 5.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 61.0% 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 Turkey, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iceland and Turkey 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 performs better than Turkey 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 Turkey 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 Turkey 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 Turkey 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 Turkey 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 Turkey 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 | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and Turkey. To live, work, or study long-term in Turkey, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Turkey's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey 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 Turkey than Iceland?
Generally yes: Turkey runs about 58% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ISK9,402,000 comparable salary, that's around TRY371,954 in Turkey for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
With 22.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Turkey 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 Turkey.
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkey is 2.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland. About 61% of people in Turkey feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 21.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
