Moving to Iceland from New York
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New York to Iceland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New York to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 32.6% more expensive than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly ISK14,597,633 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 58°F in Albany, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New York to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ISK14,597,633
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 46.1% more
Groceries
pay 17.2% more
Transportation
pay 61.9% more
Housing
pay 7.8% more
Childcare
pay 29.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.0% 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 New York to Iceland, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New York to Iceland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland performs significantly better than New York 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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though New York leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland performs significantly better than New York 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 | Albany | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Albany | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°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 New York?
No — Iceland is on average about 55% more expensive than New York. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ISK3,649,408 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 New York?
Iceland performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In New York, the official language is English.
