Moving to Iceland from Iran
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iran to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iran to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 7.4 times more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR103,125,000,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly ISK25,541,849 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 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iran and Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
IRR103,125,000,000 → ISK25,541,849
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.9 times more
Groceries
pay 5.3 times more
Transportation
pay 5.4 times more
Housing
pay 7.2 times more
Childcare
pay 17.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.2 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iran to Iceland.
Who's moving to Iceland?
Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.
- 21,102
- 3,918
- 3,171
- 2,604
- 2,357
- 2,284
- · · ·
-
46.166
Iran
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Iran.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Iran 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 Iran 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 performs significantly better than Iran 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 performs significantly better than Iran 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 Iran across all employment & economy metrics.
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 significantly better than Iran across all family life metrics.
Data: 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 | Tehran | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tehran | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Icelandic Meteorological OfficeVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran 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.
Iran passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Iran
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Iran?
On average Iceland is around 172% pricier than Iran, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK6,385,462 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a IRR103,125,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iceland: 38.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Iceland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Iceland performs significantly better than Iran across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Iran?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 15.1 in Iran. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Iran?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).
