Moving to Iceland from Italy
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Italy to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Italy to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 77.6% more expensive than Italy overall. A €64,826 salary in Italy would need to be roughly ISK17,532,895 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 69°F in Rome, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Italy to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
€64,826 → ISK17,532,895
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 58.1% more
Groceries
pay 51.0% more
Transportation
pay 43.1% more
Housing
pay 2.4 times more
Childcare
pay 88.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 96.0% 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?
How many people actually move from Italy to Iceland, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
21.525
Italy
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Italy 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 generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Italy generally does better on environment, though Iceland leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Iceland performs significantly better than Italy across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Iceland performs significantly better than Italy 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 Italy across all family life metrics.
Data: Italian Revenue Agency, 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 | Rome | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Rome | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy 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.
Italy passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Italy
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 Iceland than Italy?
No — Iceland is on average about 88% more expensive than Italy. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK4,383,224 in Iceland on a €64,826 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Iceland has 38.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Italy?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 42.5 in Italy. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Italy?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.
