Moving to Iceland from Zambia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Zambia to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Zambia to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Zambia 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
- · · ·
-
112.12
Zambia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Zambia 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
Iceland performs significantly better than Zambia 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
Zambia 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
Zambia 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 Zambia 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 Zambia 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 Zambia across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zambia Revenue Authority
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lusaka | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia 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.
Zambia passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Required
Iceland passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 Zambia and Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Iceland performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Zambia?
Zambia 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 2.6 in Zambia. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Zambia, the official language is English.
