Moving to Iceland from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Saudi Arabia to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 2.9 times more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,786 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly ISK23,245,756 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 92°F in Riyadh, 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 Saudi Arabia to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,786 → ISK23,245,756
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 5.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.4 times more
Transportation
pay 2.4 times more
Housing
pay 3.1 times more
Childcare
pay 2.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Saudi Arabia to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
105.18
Saudi Arabia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia 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
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia 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
Iceland performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Saudi Arabia leads in internet access.
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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia 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 generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Saudi Arabia?
Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 147% higher than Saudi Arabia 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 SAR281,786 comparable salary, that's around ISK5,811,439 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 Saudi Arabia and Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Saudi Arabia?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
