Moving to Iceland from Kuwait
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kuwait to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kuwait to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 3.1 times more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,224 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly ISK23,604,364 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 94°F in Kuwait City, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kuwait and Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
KWD23,224 → ISK23,604,364
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.0 times more
Groceries
pay 2.9 times more
Transportation
pay 3.2 times more
Housing
pay 2.7 times more
Childcare
pay 3.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4 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 Kuwait 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
- · · ·
-
133.3
Kuwait
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Kuwait.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Kuwait 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 Kuwait 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Kuwait leads in internet access.
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
Kuwait generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in gdp per capita.
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 Kuwait across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Kuwait, 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 | Kuwait City | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuwait City | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Department,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.
Kuwait passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Kuwait
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 Kuwait?
On average Iceland is around 150% pricier than Kuwait, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK5,901,091 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a KWD23,224 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?
Kuwait generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Kuwait?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 22.9 in Kuwait. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Kuwait?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.
