Moving to Iceland from Minnesota
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Minnesota to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Minnesota to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 47.8% more expensive than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly ISK17,049,234 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 56°F in Saint Paul, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Minnesota to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ISK17,049,234
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 48.8% more
Groceries
pay 32.4% more
Transportation
pay 83.6% more
Housing
pay 36.5% more
Childcare
pay 18.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.9% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Minnesota to Iceland, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Minnesota to Iceland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs significantly better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs significantly better than Minnesota 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
Minnesota generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs significantly better than Minnesota across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Saint Paul | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Saint Paul | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Minnesota?
No — Iceland is on average about 81% more expensive than Minnesota. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK4,262,308 in Iceland on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Usually fine from major cities in Iceland. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Minnesota?
Iceland performs significantly better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Minnesota?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 56°F in Saint Paul. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Saint Paul gets 28.5 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Minnesota, the official language is English.
