Moving to Iceland from Malaysia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Malaysia to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Malaysia to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 3.8 times more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR307,192 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly ISK27,559,895 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 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, 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?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Malaysia to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
MYR307,192 → ISK27,559,895
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 6.1 times more
Groceries
pay 2.5 times more
Transportation
pay 3.9 times more
Housing
pay 4.8 times more
Childcare
pay 3.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.8 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Malaysia to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
82.48
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Malaysia and Iceland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
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 Malaysia 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malaysia 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
Malaysia 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
share of households with internet
Iceland performs significantly better than Malaysia 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
share of people below the poverty line
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in unemployment rate.
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 Malaysia across all family life metrics.
Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, 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 | Kuala Lumpur | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia 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.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Malaysia
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 Malaysia?
Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 193% higher than Malaysia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a MYR307,192 comparable salary, that's around ISK6,889,974 in Iceland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
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 Malaysia and Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Iceland generally does better on safety, though Malaysia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Malaysia?
Malaysia 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 23.2 in Malaysia. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
