Moving to Iceland from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 96.5% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €65,577 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly ISK18,705,592 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 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Portugal and Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → ISK18,705,592
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 96.0% more
Groceries
pay 97.2% more
Transportation
pay 68.4% more
Housing
pay 93.3% more
Childcare
pay 79.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.6 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Portugal to Iceland.
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
- · · ·
-
13.1,082
Portugal
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal 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
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal 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 Portugal 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
Iceland performs significantly better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Portugal across all family life metrics.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Portugal?
On average Iceland is around 99% pricier than Portugal, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK4,676,398 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iceland: 38.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Iceland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Portugal 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 Portugal.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
