Moving to Iceland from Ireland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ireland to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Ireland to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 53.5% more expensive than Ireland overall. A €65,850 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly ISK13,918,960 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 56°F in Dublin, making it significantly cooler. How your spending power changes when you relocate from Ireland to Iceland. What does your salary buy? €65,850 → ISK13,918,960 To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 48.9% more Groceries pay 54.3% more Transportation pay 5.9% more Housing pay 27.7% more Childcare pay 2.4 times more Entertainment and Sports pay 23.9% 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. We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. Real numbers on people moving from Ireland to Iceland, and how the trend has changed. Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents. How Ireland and Iceland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. per 100,000 people per year of residents who feel safe walking alone at night per 100,000 people per year Iceland generally does better on safety, though Ireland leads in homicide rate. 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 Ireland leads in suicide rate. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year Ireland generally does better on environment, though Iceland leads in air pollution deaths. 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 Ireland across all infrastructure metrics. 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 Ireland leads in gdp per capita. 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 Ireland across all family life metrics. Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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. Ireland passport holder visiting Iceland Iceland passport holder visiting Ireland Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 47% higher than Ireland on average; specific cities can swing further. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,850 comparable salary, that's around ISK3,479,740 in Iceland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. With 38.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iceland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ireland and Iceland. Iceland generally does better on safety, though Ireland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night. Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83). The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in. The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Dublin Reykjavik Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) View all months
Month Dublin Reykjavik Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service, 
Icelandic Meteorological Office Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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