Moving to Washington from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Washington, you would find that Washington is 8.5% more expensive than Iceland overall. A ISK9,414,750 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $46,869 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Olympia averages 60°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Washington.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,414,750 → $46,869
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 26.9% less
Groceries
pay 9.1% less
Transportation
pay 33.0% less
Housing
pay 12.9% more
Childcare
pay 2.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.8% 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 Washington.
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 Washington compared to Iceland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs better than Washington across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Washington leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs better than Washington across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°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 Washington than Iceland?
On average Washington is about 38% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Budget about $11,717 for 3 months in Washington (based on a ISK9,414,750 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Washington?
From major Washington cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iceland and Washington are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to Iceland?
Iceland performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Washington?
The official language in Washington is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
