Moving to Iceland from Rwanda
What to Expect
Considering a move from Rwanda to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Rwanda to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 80°F in Kigali, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Rwanda 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
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Rwanda.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Rwanda 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
Rwanda generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Rwanda 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 Rwanda 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 Rwanda 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 Rwanda across all family life metrics.
Data: Rwanda Revenue Authority, 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 | Kigali | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kigali | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Rwanda Meteorology Agency,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Rwanda 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.
Rwanda passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Rwanda
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
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?
Iceland performs significantly better than Rwanda across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Rwanda.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Rwanda?
Rwanda generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 1.2 in Rwanda. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Rwanda: 49).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Rwanda?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 80°F in Kigali. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kigali gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Rwanda, the official languages are English, French and Kinyarwanda.
