Moving to United States from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to United States, you would find that United States is 22.5% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,200,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $58,300 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°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 States.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,200,000 → $58,300
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 37.4% less
Groceries
pay 14.0% less
Transportation
pay 35.5% less
Housing
pay 12.7% less
Childcare
pay 23.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.6% 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 States.
people moved from Iceland to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
146.8,241
Iceland
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United States 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 performs better than United States 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 performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iceland performs better than United States across all environment metrics.
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 States 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 States 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 States across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016), Internal Revenue Service (2016), The World Factbook (2010). 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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Iceland passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 States than Iceland?
On average United States is about 23% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Budget about $14,575 for 3 months in United States (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 United States?
Connectivity is usually fine (United States: 38.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United States offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United States safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 5.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Iceland. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Iceland?
Iceland performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 36.8 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 43.7 in Iceland. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
