Moving to Iceland from Romania
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Romania to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Romania to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 2.9 times more expensive than Romania overall. A RON342,975 salary in Romania would need to be roughly ISK26,440,931 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 63°F in Bucharest, 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 Romania to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
RON342,975 → ISK26,440,931
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 2.6 times more
Transportation
pay 2.6 times more
Housing
pay 5.8 times more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.7 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.
Get free moving quotes to Iceland
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Romania to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Romania 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
- · · ·
-
10.1,675
Romania
Key Indicator Comparison
How Romania 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
Iceland performs significantly better than Romania 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 Romania 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
Romania 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 Romania 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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Romania 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 Romania across all family life metrics.
Data: National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), 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 | Bucharest | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bucharest | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
National Meteorological Administration,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Romania 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.
Romania passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Romania
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 Romania?
Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 181% higher than Romania 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 RON342,975 comparable salary, that's around ISK6,610,233 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 Romania and Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Iceland performs significantly better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Romania.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Romania?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 34.7 in Romania. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Romania?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 63°F in Bucharest. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Bucharest gets 23.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Romania, the official language is Romanian.
