Moving to United Kingdom from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to United Kingdom? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 7.0% more expensive than Iceland overall. A ISK9,402,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly £34,762 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and United Kingdom.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,402,000 → £34,762
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 35.3% less
Groceries
pay 38.3% less
Transportation
pay 10.2% less
Housing
pay 29.1% more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.7% 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 United Kingdom.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United Kingdom compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Met OfficeVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Iceland?
On average United Kingdom is about 38% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
Budget about £8,690 for 3 months in United Kingdom (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 United Kingdom?
Connectivity is usually fine (United Kingdom: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United Kingdom offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United Kingdom safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
