Is Iceland a good place to live?

If you are considering a move to Iceland, you have probably seen how well Iceland scores in many of the life indexes. Indeed, Icelandic living standards are very high, extremely safe, with high-quality education, modern infrastructure, and stable government.

Is it expensive to live in Iceland?

Iceland. Numbeo reports that the cost of living in Iceland is about 40.21% higher than that of the United States (rent not included). In addition, rent in Iceland is 15.57% higher than that in the United States.

What are the cons of living in Iceland?

Is it difficult to live in Iceland?

Life in Reykjavik - Life follows a very specific rhythm in the Capital city, probably everywhere in Iceland. In general, the pace of life was much slower than I was used to. Icelanders work hard and they play hard, to use an old cliche. Icelanders take long vacations, some up to 4 weeks in the summer!

Is moving to Iceland a good idea?

The Complete Guide to Moving to Iceland (2021)

Iceland is famous for being an incredibly great place to live: a safe, beautiful and welcoming country with a strong society and high living standards.

What Is Life Really Like In Iceland?

Do they speak English in Iceland?

English is taught as a second language in Iceland and almost every Icelander speaks the language fluently. And more so, most Icelanders speak several other languages including Danish, German, Spanish and French and welcome the opportunity to practice their language skills. Hope to see you soon in Reykjavík.

What jobs are in demand in Iceland?

Construction, healthcare, tourism, and IT are the four most significant sectors needing employees. These industries are required to keep the Icelandic economy thriving and are ideal jobs for Americans in Iceland, as special skill sets are often needed.

Is Iceland a depressing country?

According to the European health survey, Icelanders are in fourth place as the most depressed European nation. Young women are most likely to suffer from depression, with a ratio of 11 percent to 7 percent of men. The country with the highest number of people suffering from depression is Hungary, around 10 percent.

Are Icelanders friendly?

As well as being open-hearted and kind, Icelandic people are consistently rated as the happiest in the world! That happiness translates into how locals treat each other and how they welcome the many seasonal visitors. Most Icelanders are non-judgemental, laid back, and down to earth.

Is healthcare free in Iceland?

State healthcare in Iceland is not completely free. Healthcare costs are covered by the state (through the Icelandic Health Insurance fund) and through patient contributions. Patient contributions are capped each month. Once you've spent a certain amount, your state healthcare is free for the rest of the month.

Can an American move to Iceland?

Moving to Iceland as a United States citizen is possible. However, what the country allows is pretty restrictive. If you plan on staying for more than three months, you will need to contact the Directorate of Immigration to apply for a residence permit, and acceptance depends on your reason for staying.

What is a good salary in Iceland?

The average salary of 410,000 ISK per month (approximately 3300 USD) puts Iceland's figures among the highest salaries in Europe. Even if the cost of living in the country is high, the purchase power still makes of Iceland an attractive place to be an employee.

How much money do you need to live comfortably in Iceland?

According to estimations from websites Investopedia and International Living, a retired couple living in a one-bedroom apartment in Reykjavik can expect to live on roughly $2,600 a month. This includes rent, utilities, groceries, dining out, transportation and any help around the house you might need.

Is Iceland overrated?

Every person who has ever been to or lived in Iceland can unanimously agree that the country is completely overrated. No matter what any traveller seeks, if they manage to leave Iceland with their lives, they return home feeling deeply disappointed, completely betrayed, and at least slightly harrowed.

Are Icelanders poor?

Iceland has the lowest poverty rate among OECD's 38 member countries, Morgunblaðið reports. The poverty rate is defined by OECD as “the ratio of the number of people (in a given age group) whose income falls below the poverty line; taken as half the median household income of the total population.”

Is there crime in Iceland?

Iceland is considered by many as one of the safest countries in the world to live in, with very low crime and murder rates. For instance, the country has the lowest murder rate in Europe, and only one person was killed on the island in 2019.

What problems does Iceland have?

Natural hazards such as periodic volcanic eruptions are an issue of concern for Iceland. The impact these eruptions have on landscape, vegetation, and PM pollution can be very high. Tourism is another issue causing growing environmental concern.

Are Icelanders happy people?

The key to happiness is mainly spending time with family and friends. Icelanders are considered to be the world's happiest people, along with their Nordic neighbours. Iceland has been ranked among the five happiest countries in the world for many years now.

Why is Iceland population so low?

However, that harsh geographical landscape is one of the reasons why it's population remains so low. Iceland has the lowest population density of all European countries at just 3 people per kilometer (8/square mile).

Is Icelandic hard to learn?

In fact, Icelandic has been consistently ranked as one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn as a result of the archaic vocabulary and complex grammar.

Can I teach English in Iceland?

In order to teach English in Iceland, most teachers will require a bachelor's degree and TEFL or other relevant ESL teaching certification. The average salary for teaching in Iceland is $1,500 - $3,000 per month.

How hard is it to get citizenship in Iceland?

The general requirement for granting Icelandic citizenship is that the applicant has been domiciled in Iceland for seven years. Nordic nationals are an exception, however, as they only need to have had a legal domicile in Iceland for four years.