Moving to Iceland from Illinois
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Illinois to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Illinois to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 41.3% more expensive than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly ISK12,900,000 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 59°F in Chicago, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iceland cheaper than Illinois?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 77.0% more
Groceries
pay 26.2% more
Transportation
pay 55.8% more
Housing
pay 35.6% more
Childcare
pay 13.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.6% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Iceland?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ISK12,900,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Iceland
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Illinois to Iceland, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Illinois to Iceland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs significantly better than Illinois 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 performs significantly better than Illinois across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs significantly better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Iceland vs Illinois
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Chicago | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Chicago | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Can you move from Illinois to Iceland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Iceland. To live, work, or study long-term in Iceland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iceland's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iceland than Illinois?
No — Iceland is on average about 41% more expensive than Illinois. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK3,225,000 in Iceland on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Usually fine from major cities in Iceland. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Illinois?
Iceland performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 59°F in Chicago. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Chicago gets 36.9 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Illinois, the official language is English.
