Moving to Iceland from Netherlands
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Netherlands to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Netherlands to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 34.4% more expensive than Netherlands overall. A €65,700 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly ISK13,693,881 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 Amsterdam, 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 Netherlands to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → ISK13,693,881
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 14.5% more
Groceries
pay 44.8% more
Transportation
pay 4.2% more
Housing
pay 33.5% more
Childcare
pay 53.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 38.2% 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 Netherlands to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Netherlands to Iceland · OECD (latest data available)
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
- · · ·
-
27.408
Netherlands
Key Indicator Comparison
How Netherlands and Iceland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands 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 Netherlands leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Netherlands 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Netherlands leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Netherlands generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in top income tax 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 Netherlands across all family life metrics.
Data: Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst, 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 | Amsterdam | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Amsterdam | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.
Netherlands passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Netherlands
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 Netherlands?
Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 45% higher than Netherlands 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 €65,700 comparable salary, that's around ISK3,423,470 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 Netherlands and Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Netherlands 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 0.8 in Netherlands.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Netherlands?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in adult obesity rate. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Netherlands?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.
