Moving to Iceland from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Arab Emirates to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 2.1 times more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,438 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly ISK15,969,986 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 93°F in Abu Dhabi, 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 United Arab Emirates to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,438 → ISK15,969,986
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.5 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 2.3 times more
Housing
pay 22.8% more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.6% 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 United Arab Emirates 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
- · · ·
-
115.11
United Arab Emirates
Key Indicator Comparison
How United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Iceland leads in water stress level.
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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland leads in poverty 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 United Arab Emirates across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Icelandic Meteorological OfficeVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
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 United Arab Emirates?
Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 70% higher than United Arab Emirates 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 AED275,438 comparable salary, that's around ISK3,992,496 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 United Arab Emirates and Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates 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 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to United Arab Emirates?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
