Moving to Iceland from Syria
What to Expect
Considering a move from Syria to Iceland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Syria to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Syria 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
- · · ·
-
31.280
Syria
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iceland compared to Syria.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Syria 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 Syria 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
Syria 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 Syria 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 Syria 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 Syria across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, 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 | Damascus | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Damascus | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department,
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.
Syria passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Syria
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Syria?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Syria?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.
