Moving to Iceland from Mississippi

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Mississippi to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Mississippi to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 79.0% more expensive than Mississippi. A $75,000 salary in Mississippi would need to be roughly ISK19,663,898 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 76°F in Jackson, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Mississippi to Iceland.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ISK19,663,898

To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 82.7% more

Groceries

pay 49.8% more

Transportation

pay 2.1 times more

Housing

pay 47.6% more

Childcare

pay 45.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 88.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 125.53 ISK (June 2026)

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 Mississippi to Iceland, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
366

people moved from United States to Iceland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Iceland?

Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Mississippi to Iceland.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MS
41.9%
IS
21.9%

Iceland performs significantly better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MS
82.0%
IS
100.0%

Iceland performs significantly better than Mississippi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MS
3.1%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MS
$41,778
IS
$66,500

Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Mississippi leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

MS
71.9 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs

Iceland performs significantly better than Mississippi 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.

Jackson Rain: 54.3 in/yr (1380 mm)
76° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Reykjavik Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
45° / 35°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jackson Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 62°/41°F (17°/5°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 83°/62°F (28°/17°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/70°F (32°/21°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 67°/46°F (20°/8°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Jackson Reykjavik
Jan 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.7°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 68°/47°F (20.2°/8.2°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 76°/54°F (24.4°/12.1°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 83°/63°F (28.3°/17.1°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.4°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.2°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 87°/66°F (30.3°/18.9°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.8°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Icelandic Meteorological Office 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

United States passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Iceland without a visa.
Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Iceland passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

Data: 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 Mississippi?

No — Iceland is on average about 109% more expensive than Mississippi. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Iceland?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK4,915,974 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 Mississippi?

Iceland performs significantly better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Mississippi?

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 76°F in Jackson. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Jackson gets 54.3 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Mississippi, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

IS
Population 2,967,297 357,603
Currency United States Dollar ($) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages English Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +354
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112