Moving to Iceland from Russia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Russia to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Russia to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 3.0 times more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB6,400,000 salary in Russia would need to be roughly ISK27,300,000 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Russia and Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
RUB6,400,000 → ISK27,300,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.2 times more
Groceries
pay 2.6 times more
Transportation
pay 2.5 times more
Housing
pay 4.0 times more
Childcare
pay 2.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.1 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 Russia 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
- · · ·
-
25.492
Russia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Russia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Russia 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
Russia 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
Iceland performs significantly better than Russia across all environment metrics.
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 Russia 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
Russia 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 Russia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Tax Service of Russia (2016), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Moscow | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 Russia?
On average Iceland is around 197% pricier than Russia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK6,825,000 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a RUB6,400,000 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: 37.5 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?
Iceland performs significantly better than Russia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Russia?
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in health coverage index. There are 43.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 51.1 in Russia. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
