Moving to Iceland from Moldova
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Moldova to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Moldova to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 3.3 times more expensive than Moldova overall. A MDL1,400,000 salary in Moldova would need to be roughly ISK30,800,000 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iceland cheaper than Moldova?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.0 times more
Groceries
pay 2.9 times more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 4.2 times more
Childcare
pay 4.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.6 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.
What salary do you need in Iceland?
What does your salary buy?
MDL1,400,000 → ISK30,800,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Moldova 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
- · · ·
-
55.113
Moldova
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Moldova to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Moldova across all safety metrics.
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 Moldova 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
Moldova 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 Moldova 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
Moldova 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 Moldova across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State tax Service (2016), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from Moldova to Iceland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Moldova 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.
Moldova passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Moldova
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 Moldova?
No — Iceland is on average about 225% more expensive than Moldova. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK7,700,000 in Iceland on a MDL1,400,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Iceland has 37.5 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 performs significantly better than Moldova across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.5 in Moldova.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Moldova?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Moldova leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 43.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 40.2 in Moldova. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Moldova: 71).
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Moldova, the official language is Romanian.
