Moving to Iceland from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 2.8% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF62,000 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly ISK8,840,000 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 55°F in Zurich, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iceland cheaper than Switzerland?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.6% less
Groceries
pay 4.4% more
Transportation
pay 10.0% less
Housing
pay 4.0% more
Childcare
pay 48.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.2% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Iceland?
What does your salary buy?
CHF62,000 → ISK8,840,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Iceland
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Switzerland to Iceland.
people moved from Switzerland 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
- · · ·
-
37.226
Switzerland
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in feel safe walking at night.
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 Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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 Switzerland 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
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in unemployment 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 Switzerland leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Directorate of Internal Revenue (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Iceland vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Can you move from Switzerland to Iceland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Switzerland?
On average Iceland is about 3% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
Budget about ISK2,210,000 for 3 months in Iceland (based on a CHF62,000 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?
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland. About 91% of people in Iceland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Switzerland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 43.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
