Awesome video, and very much in line with our experience too! One other detail regarding education is that if an immigrant is able to naturalize as an Icelandic citizen with their children, which can be possible after staying four to seven years, those children will be eligible for tuition-free higher education throughout the Nordic countries. This means that excellent higher-education institutions in the other Nordics are available as options, although those kids may have to prepare for coursework that's taught in another Nordic language, depending on the program.
We just got back !!! Went with our 5 kids to visit our auntie who is getting her masters in geology and yes it’s free but her rent one bedroom apartment is 1800 …. Food is $$$ she didn’t get a car … so she road a bike. Or walked or public transit. Taxes on buying stuff was hard. You can apply to get it back but you have to spend so much and fill out forms… still haven’t gotten the money back … but they said 8-10 weeks… It’s worth it it was amazing loved it ! Your videos helped me pack so thank you. My husband wasn’t super sure since it was $$ but kids under 12 are free a lot of places or cheaper and flying they are 20-30% off iceland air ! They also treat kids great on the plane ! Give our toys free food… but we brought food for the plane which was very helpful. I haven’t seen… it maybe you did it.. but the hot cold hot plunges for me were life changing !!! I have RA and headaches from a stroke I had. It was the first time in years I didn’t hurt. Took my pain to 80% less… I got to 5 min in the 37 degree cold pool and yeah it’s shocking at first but wow the benefits!!! We swam at local pools and they were so clean and amazing !!! We went everyday after traveling and seeing alll the places!
You should never go from extremely hot to extremely cold water, or vice versa. It can bring on fatal cardiac arrhythmias or cardiac arrest. I have been an RN for 26 yrs, and state certified to train the trainer in ARC CPR/First Aid. Especially with your health history, you might want to rethink doing that.
Thank you for the Icelandic cost layout. It's comparable to the cost of living in a large Canadian city such as Toronto or Vancouver.Of course you could spend less or more depending on your lifestyle , what your earn and how many people are in your household.
Right now, British Columbia is so expensive that people are being forced to move out because it costs so much. Covid took a real hit on BC when trudeau closed the border. It raised their grocery and gas cost incredibly high. Since many living there go to washington for gas and groceries. Rent tripled in 3 years.
Interesting! Like everyone else, I was comparing my current costs in the Portland, Oregon area to yours in Reykjavik. It seems that the cost of living in the Portland area is pretty much the same as yours. When in Iceland, I fell in love with Borgarnes, Selfoss, and Stikkishulmer. It's nice to imagine a move to one of those lovely towns.
When we were there last year, fuel costs were about equivalent to US$10 per gallon. However, there are many diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles in the country, and the national top speed limit on the Ring Road highway is 90 kmh. So most people are not guzzling fuel at prodigious rates like in the US.
Those are basic expenses in Austin, TX right now (gas is cheaper but you drive way more). Plus healthcare insurance alone for a family costs about $500+ bi-weekly and depending on your plan, you may be paying towards deductible anywhere from $5-15k first.
Thank you for sharing this information. I live in semi-rural area, and I think the costs here are slightly higher. Groceries is around $200 per week for 2 people, petrol for me is about $150 per week. I do drive about an hour to work each way, a few times a week. Housing costs can range from about $300 - $950 per week , if you can find housing. Housing is the biggest issue currently in Australia - there is housing crisis. Wages are different-but I think the minimum is about $23.00 per hour.
Wow, very informative! Could you give us an idea of what the job market/wages in Iceland are like? I'm from the US, and I'm curious how Icelanders and people living in Iceland (possibly employed by a company in another country) manage to afford living there. 😅
As another American who has moved to Iceland and lived here for pushing nine years now, these estimates in this video really give a great picture of the cost side of things. Regarding the wage side of things, in general, at the low end (hospitality, restaurant service, semi-skilled labor) wages are significantly higher than in the United States. Minimum wages vary by union but typically are around US$17 per hour as of mid-2023. Highly compensated professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and technical experts, however, generally will be paid substantially less than they could earn in the United States. As someone who's in the latter category, I could probably earn 50% more living in the U.S. before taxes, and more after, but there are many factors that make remaining here highly attractive. Our kids have much more freedom to run around the neighborhood than social norms in the U.S. would permit, nationalized medical care protects us against risk of a major financial hit if one of us has a health problem, the overall atmosphere is much more relaxed and quiet, and I get about five weeks of paid vacation per year, with up to six months of paid sick leave. There's a lot to miss about the U.S. but stingy vacation and a moderately serious illness costing tens of thousands of dollars are not among them.
@@MrFredstt I found the job first, through a friend who worked in my employer's U.S. office. They sponsored the residence permit and led me through the process in full. I did not learn the language first; One can get by with only English, so I did. Now, nine years later, I'm still working on improving my Icelandic, but the truth is that circumstances where it's actually useful are rare because everyone knows English so much better than I know Icelandic.
One thing to add… even though the public school is free, if you need to have your kid in an after-school program (which is very common, especially in 1st - 3rd grade), it will cost. For the city of Reykjavík it’s about $160 a month for 5 days a week with food.
I'm surprised, I actually thought housing would be higher in Iceland. I live in Colorado, it's expensive here. My monthly mortgage is $2,400 a month. I guess it's comparable to Iceland.
@@IcelandwithaView we went to Iceland a couple times. 2 weeks a piece. We are hoping to go again next year. You are an INTEGRAL part of helping me and my fiance. Thank you !!!!
Meanwhile,I pay $1400 a month to own a 4 bedroom, 3 bath on 2 acres in NC. In an area with excellent job market. The USA is too vast to easily compare to smaller countries.
Cheap or expensive to LIVE it really depends on price vs salary. 1 - it looks as expensive as Canada. 2 - could you please comment on salaries over there?? Of course it varies a lot but how much does a waiter do per month? Or say a financial or marketing analyst? If you could talk about job market and salaries it would be great. Thanks a lot
looked it up, average salary there is 5 890 US$ / 808 000 ISK i also saw you can make between 3,5 and 5,5 million ISK (per year) as a delivery driver, but not sure about the per month for that.
I went in 2017, and at that time it was comparable to Australia and New Zealand, which is where I was right before going to Iceland was about $1.89-$2/litre in Canadian conversion. it hurt my heart how much I'd paid for gas that summer, but it was seriously so worth it! Iceland is a beautiful country and you'll want a car to explore and go on your time. a small 3 meat pizza at dominos was $16 CAD for a small back then. Can't imagine now!
What is the current best interest rate on an Icelandic savings account? How much are dental exams & procedures? Also, what is the cost of property insurance?
@@nadogrl for apartments and multi unit, the taxes are watered down. In other words, a 20 unit building pays less tax than 20 separate single family homes.
Maybe I missed it if you mentioned it, but rent oftentimes includes electricity and gas! Water is free and electricity is very cheap because of the geothermal energy. I don't even think we use "gas" here.
When we moved to the US with a permanent resident visa, no one would loan us any money. Of course, we didn't have any credit history. But it came to the point that we couldn't even have a phone contract. That was for the first year. So yes, when you are new to a country, no one knows you, no one is going to give you money, and that's understandable.
Cost of living in Iceland is on par with living in New York City metro/suburb area. Utilities in Iceland seem lower as well as your cable and mobile phone. Gas is the only thing that seems to be more expensive.
Information that I found online regarding Iceland’s requirements to retire there: “Applying for a residence permit of any kind involves satisfying a number of basic requirements. First, you must prove you can financially support yourself in Iceland without relying on welfare. For a retired couple, this means proving you can spend at least 270,825 Icelandic kronur ($2,376) a month to support yourself. You’ll also need to provide health insurance that will be valid in Iceland (some American health insurances will work here) and prove that you have a place of residence in Iceland. Finally, you’ll need to prove that you don’t have a criminal record or any open case that could result in more than three months in jail.” The $2,376 USD seems much lower than all of the monthly expenses you outline. It seems like the government required guidelines for a retirement resident permit does not really match your figures. Do you have any thoughts on this? Thanks!
The support requirement for issuing a residence permit is established by statute, and is deliberately set low (lower than the minimum full-time wage by a good margin) because the intent of the policy is to ensure the immigrant's ability to survive at a minimum level. The requirement is also only updated when a new amendment is passed to the statute, so usually it reflects a snapshot in time some distance in the past. Regarding retiring in Iceland, the only residence permit category that's suitable for retirees is a permit available to parents of an Icelandic resident or citizen who are at least age 67. So, if you have a child who lives here already, you are 67 or older, the child is either an Icelandic citizen or has one of the permit types that permit family reunification, and you meet the requirements you quoted, you can get a permit. Importantly, if only one of a couple qualifies for such a permit (such as if they have divorced and remarried since their child's birth) they cannot sponsor their spouse or partner who is not a parent of the Icelandic resident or citizen. Another alternative for retirees is if one of the retired couple have EU/EEA citizenship, they may move to Iceland together, and may apply for a residence permit for the non-EU/EEA spouse of an EU/EEA citizen. EU/EEA citizens do not themselves require any residence permit to move to and live in Iceland. Their spouses or cohabiting partners do, but there's a streamlined process for them to get residence permits. Bottom line: If at least one of a retired couple is an EU/EEA citizen, or both of the couple are parents of an Icelandic resident or citizen, it's pretty straightforward to move to Iceland. Otherwise, it's really just not possible, since Iceland doesn't have a retiree permit category or any type of residence permit by investment program.
@@azotic1 Thank you for the detailed response! Don’t worry, I am not planning on retiring to Iceland but I was wondering about the financials listed here and information online. Have a lovely day 👍🥰
@@byzantineladybug9471 No worries! I hope the information will be helpful to others who come along. Iceland is a great place to live. I'm so happy Jeannie is here making such great videos to share and inform about the experience!
I lived in Iceland many years ago. My son was born while we were there. Iceland is very expensive. It's an island and almost everything is imported. Not only that, taxes are high. I loved my 2 years there but I would not move there based on the cost of living, that weather (😮), and let's not forget those summer daylight/winter darkness hours. Iceland is a beautiful country but after having lived there, I'll stick with visits. lol.
Bus drivers get paid significantly more than someone doing a similar job in the U.S. Software developers generally get paid a lot less. Pay is pretty similar to much of Western Europe, though.
@@azotic1 I need actual salary numbers for various jobs/professions. Both hourly wage numbers and yearly salary numbers would be appreciated. If the numbers are significantly different for metro vs. rural areas, those numbers would also be appreciated. THANKS!
@@azotic1 : Not sure about the purpose of your comment. If it was meant to be funny, well, your witticism went way over my head. I guess it must have been funny to a super-intelligent person like you. So, please go ahead and have a wonderful day!
Do both of you need to work to affordably live in Iceland? Like us in California. The costs here are very high, a one family income is not complete enough for basic needs.
I like how she is shocked by the "free" health care and education. (Of course, it is not free but paid by taxes) It is only Americans who are shocked by public funded health care. I moved from US to Canada 19 years ago and it took me a while to get used to "walk in clinics" and 70% of the services being covered by public health care. (However there are big problems with emergency services, backlogs, etc. (Another discussion ) )My impression is that the Nordic countries do a superb job of covering health care and education with taxes.
@@valhalla9688 Health care costs per capita in the US: ~ 13,000 USD. Health care costs in Island per capita: ~ 5,200 USD. Less for more. That's why. If you can't trust the government to try and achieve the same, get another government. It should be no problem in a free country, right? 😉
Yes there are wait times and backlogs etc. (esp. after/during Covid) but those waits are not related to having a universal health care system. They are because of geography sometimes (rural area= fewer doctors) and because of the inefficient referral system. International studies rank the States near the bottom in terms of health care and it is also the most expensive. Nordic countries are near the top. Yes taxes are higher but when you factor in what they cover, they are miles ahead.
@@sparky711chocThe wait times for Europe and Canada are in relation to non emergent care. People will sometimes wait up to six years for a hip replacement. That is not something an American with private insurance has to worry about. Many Canadians come across the border to get medically necessary procedures done because they don't want to wait years to finally walk again without pain (or walk again, period). Their healthcare isn't free. They pay for it with extremely high taxes, which is then rolled into healthcare. You will also note that Canada is pushing more for assisted su!cide. How long before the government makes those decisions for the people, or refuses to treat certain illnesses, thus forcing them to make that choice for themselves? Nothing is free, and it all comes down to money in the end. At least with private insurance, we can make choices about our care, and get in to see a doctor immediately. All medical emergencies are required to be treated and stabilized before a person can be released in America. The difference is the bill is paid after the care, not before in the U.S. There are good and bad doctors everywhere. I have been an RN for 26 yrs, and I have been on the receiving end of both.
I'm not sure where others got their information, but Iceland has one of the highest rates of adoption of electric cars in the world. In 2022, 56% of new cars sold in Iceland were either fully electric or were plug-in hybrids. The low cost of electric power in Iceland is certainly a factor. (We own an electric vehicle and a full charge of that vehicle, which has a range of about 215 miles, costs about US$10 using the charging station in our carport at home.)
How much do you have to pay for heating bills and what kind of heating do you have? You never mentioned that at all! And what kind of work do you and your husband do? Do your employers supplement any of your expenses?
Aren't there electric cars and Ubers? I live in USA after we got electric car we now pay 10% in transportation costs from what we used to pay when we had gas powered one. The only caveat with electric - wheels wear out faster in my opinion so there might be some extra costs with wheel maintenance. Still much less in fuel cost.
I am curious about the language. I've read that the Icelandic language is difficult with loonnnng words😀 Have you learned the language or do you intend to?
What about the jobs in Iceland for International students is student can afford there expenses and there is less jobs more people or more jobs less people.
They dont realise its 12 De C today and a constant biting wind in the middle of Summer. Then there is the Winter Sun...or lack of it. You have your SAD lamp though....
Haha why does everyone say it’s expensive to live in Iceland --This is ridiculous cheap then USA, anywhere in the USA-- I hope these are real prices in Iceland I’m thinking of going haha 😅
That's what I was thinking, this is way cheaper than the US once you consider health care costs, our taxes are lower (for some) but we more than make up for that is extraordinary health care costs.
We were just there and iceland is amazing!! But good there is $$$ so much our sister lives there getting her masters and she would fly home and fly back with suitcases of food … When we visited we brought 3 50pound suitcases with protein bars, nuts, peanut butter, etc…. Helped our cost of visiting a lot. We bought bread made sandwiches while we traveled… but we brought snacks … chips etc … and with 5 kids that helped a lot. We only ate out hotdogs after swimming and then the ice cream there is amazing!!! Bread there is so fresh compared to our American regular grocery stores but not much is grown there so everything is shipped over … so product etc gets $$$
honestly? the expenses in Iceland don't sound much more expensive than living in the US. And 8,000 dollars for a car in Iceland? Even if it's a used one?? Sweetie, that is NOT expensive! Um, what sort of jobs are available in Iceland?
Why don't you tell them about your salaries. What about the energy coast All Universities free. All hospitals free. Heating coast is free except the transport.
I expected the cost to be more than the US . Not at all. I see someone from Portland Oregon in the comments, I am over the bridge in Vancouver Wa. You cannot find a studio apartment for less than 1,500 per month. Buying a house is over $500,000 we are talking 2 bedrooms. You haven’t been in the states for a long time 😂
Public transport sounds very expensive, especially given implicit population intensity and therefore shorter commutes. Income tax rates, Like US until about Trump. But Iceland doesn’t have to pay $880 billion for defense costs.
Actually this was pretty comparable to Southern California prices, if not even a bit better except for fuel for the car. But fuel prices in UK are even higher than Iceland. All countries with a national healthcare system build the cost into taxes. A much better system than US.
That seems super expensive but people live there and are alive and happy so it must have high paying jobs??? Or where is peoples comfort and happpiness coming from!!
she had mentioned in a different video -- I think it has to do with the fact they are not citizens of the country that they have to rent (or at the time of the video , at least)
I'd gladly pay more taxes for everyone to have healthcare and college. We already pay around 22%, and only make $70k a year for a family of 4. We'd bring home about the same if taxes were higher, but no insurance premiums through employment.
Sounds good but unsustainable with 15 million bogus asylum seekers coming into the country in just the time that Biden has been in office. If America could freeze immigration after Biden is sent out to pasture perhaps this will be possibe.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Awesome video, and very much in line with our experience too!
One other detail regarding education is that if an immigrant is able to naturalize as an Icelandic citizen with their children, which can be possible after staying four to seven years, those children will be eligible for tuition-free higher education throughout the Nordic countries. This means that excellent higher-education institutions in the other Nordics are available as options, although those kids may have to prepare for coursework that's taught in another Nordic language, depending on the program.
We just got back !!! Went with our 5 kids to visit our auntie who is getting her masters in geology and yes it’s free but her rent one bedroom apartment is 1800 …. Food is $$$ she didn’t get a car … so she road a bike. Or walked or public transit.
Taxes on buying stuff was hard. You can apply to get it back but you have to spend so much and fill out forms… still haven’t gotten the money back … but they said 8-10 weeks…
It’s worth it it was amazing loved it !
Your videos helped me pack so thank you. My husband wasn’t super sure since it was $$ but kids under 12 are free a lot of places or cheaper and flying they are 20-30% off iceland air ! They also treat kids great on the plane ! Give our toys free food… but we brought food for the plane which was very helpful.
I haven’t seen… it maybe you did it.. but the hot cold hot plunges for me were life changing !!! I have RA and headaches from a stroke I had. It was the first time in years I didn’t hurt. Took my pain to 80% less… I got to 5 min in the 37 degree cold pool and yeah it’s shocking at first but wow the benefits!!! We swam at local pools and they were so clean and amazing !!! We went everyday after traveling and seeing alll the places!
Going to the public pools was such an amazing experience for me too! They are wonderful!
where do you call home and how long was the flight?
You should never go from extremely hot to extremely cold water, or vice versa. It can bring on fatal cardiac arrhythmias or cardiac arrest. I have been an RN for 26 yrs, and state certified to train the trainer in ARC CPR/First Aid. Especially with your health history, you might want to rethink doing that.
Thank you for the Icelandic cost layout. It's comparable to the cost of living in a large Canadian city such as Toronto or Vancouver.Of course you could spend less or more depending on your lifestyle , what your earn and how many people are in your household.
Right now, British Columbia is so expensive that people are being forced to move out because it costs so much. Covid took a real hit on BC when trudeau closed the border. It raised their grocery and gas cost incredibly high. Since many living there go to washington for gas and groceries. Rent tripled in 3 years.
Thank you for watching!
Interesting! Like everyone else, I was comparing my current costs in the Portland, Oregon area to yours in Reykjavik. It seems that the cost of living in the Portland area is pretty much the same as yours. When in Iceland, I fell in love with Borgarnes, Selfoss, and Stikkishulmer. It's nice to imagine a move to one of those lovely towns.
Was just going to say that ! I did a quick conversation and was like I pay this amount for rent
I live in Beaverton, and my monthly water bill average $120 in summer &$80 in the winter. The $60 was from sewer and surface charged.
When we were there last year, fuel costs were about equivalent to US$10 per gallon. However, there are many diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles in the country, and the national top speed limit on the Ring Road highway is 90 kmh. So most people are not guzzling fuel at prodigious rates like in the US.
Those are basic expenses in Austin, TX right now (gas is cheaper but you drive way more). Plus healthcare insurance alone for a family costs about $500+ bi-weekly and depending on your plan, you may be paying towards deductible anywhere from $5-15k first.
Thank you for sharing this information. I live in semi-rural area, and I think the costs here are slightly higher. Groceries is around $200 per week for 2 people, petrol for me is about $150 per week. I do drive about an hour to work each way, a few times a week. Housing costs can range from about $300 - $950 per week , if you can find housing. Housing is the biggest issue currently in Australia - there is housing crisis. Wages are different-but I think the minimum is about $23.00 per hour.
Wow, very informative!
Could you give us an idea of what the job market/wages in Iceland are like? I'm from the US, and I'm curious how Icelanders and people living in Iceland (possibly employed by a company in another country) manage to afford living there. 😅
As another American who has moved to Iceland and lived here for pushing nine years now, these estimates in this video really give a great picture of the cost side of things. Regarding the wage side of things, in general, at the low end (hospitality, restaurant service, semi-skilled labor) wages are significantly higher than in the United States. Minimum wages vary by union but typically are around US$17 per hour as of mid-2023. Highly compensated professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and technical experts, however, generally will be paid substantially less than they could earn in the United States. As someone who's in the latter category, I could probably earn 50% more living in the U.S. before taxes, and more after, but there are many factors that make remaining here highly attractive. Our kids have much more freedom to run around the neighborhood than social norms in the U.S. would permit, nationalized medical care protects us against risk of a major financial hit if one of us has a health problem, the overall atmosphere is much more relaxed and quiet, and I get about five weeks of paid vacation per year, with up to six months of paid sick leave. There's a lot to miss about the U.S. but stingy vacation and a moderately serious illness costing tens of thousands of dollars are not among them.
@@azotic1 As an American considering moving how did you do it? How did you get your visa, your job, did you learn the language before hand, etc?
@@MrFredstt I found the job first, through a friend who worked in my employer's U.S. office. They sponsored the residence permit and led me through the process in full. I did not learn the language first; One can get by with only English, so I did. Now, nine years later, I'm still working on improving my Icelandic, but the truth is that circumstances where it's actually useful are rare because everyone knows English so much better than I know Icelandic.
How are you doing with the eruption. Hope your safe. I enjoy your info.
One thing to add… even though the public school is free, if you need to have your kid in an after-school program (which is very common, especially in 1st - 3rd grade), it will cost. For the city of Reykjavík it’s about $160 a month for 5 days a week with food.
That's really cheap compared to the USA
@@AshRaeKit sure is!
I'm surprised, I actually thought housing would be higher in Iceland. I live in Colorado, it's expensive here. My monthly mortgage is $2,400 a month. I guess it's comparable to Iceland.
Finally thank you! Been years in the making!
Thank you for watching! 🤩
@@IcelandwithaView we went to Iceland a couple times. 2 weeks a piece. We are hoping to go again next year. You are an INTEGRAL part of helping me and my fiance. Thank you !!!!
I guess it’s all relative right?! That’s a way cheaper rent than the SF Bay Area… I’d die for a 2400USD rent for one br.
Meanwhile,I pay $1400 a month to own a 4 bedroom, 3 bath on 2 acres in NC. In an area with excellent job market. The USA is too vast to easily compare to smaller countries.
Cheap or expensive to LIVE it really depends on price vs salary.
1 - it looks as expensive as Canada.
2 - could you please comment on salaries over there?? Of course it varies a lot but how much does a waiter do per month? Or say a financial or marketing analyst?
If you could talk about job market and salaries it would be great.
Thanks a lot
looked it up, average salary there is 5 890 US$ / 808 000 ISK
i also saw you can make between 3,5 and 5,5 million ISK (per year) as a delivery driver, but not sure about the per month for that.
I went in 2017, and at that time it was comparable to Australia and New Zealand, which is where I was right before going to Iceland was about $1.89-$2/litre in Canadian conversion. it hurt my heart how much I'd paid for gas that summer, but it was seriously so worth it! Iceland is a beautiful country and you'll want a car to explore and go on your time. a small 3 meat pizza at dominos was $16 CAD for a small back then. Can't imagine now!
What is the current best interest rate on an Icelandic savings account? How much are dental exams & procedures? Also, what is the cost of property insurance?
Everyone rents. Nobody owns. Probably no prop tax due to that
@@Meatball2022 - So who owns the rentals? The property owners would pay the property taxes.
@@nadogrl for apartments and multi unit, the taxes are watered down. In other words, a 20 unit building pays less tax than 20 separate single family homes.
That was super interesting, and your nails are so cute!
what about options to live in shared houses as expats? is that easy like in germany or other eu countries or more diffucult in iceland?
these daycare costs are 50% of what i pay stateside... ILL TAKE IT!
Maybe I missed it if you mentioned it, but rent oftentimes includes electricity and gas! Water is free and electricity is very cheap because of the geothermal energy. I don't even think we use "gas" here.
Is it possible to use wise card in Iceland?
AT 3:09 "NOT MUCH FOOD AT ALL IN THE FRIDGE",THAT TELL YOU SOMETHING !!!
I was expecting $3 to 4 thousand USD for 1 bedroom in city center. 1400-2500 is still cheaper than some cities in USA or Canada.
How are you going to live paying $6000\month with no income?
When we moved to the US with a permanent resident visa, no one would loan us any money. Of course, we didn't have any credit history. But it came to the point that we couldn't even have a phone contract.
That was for the first year.
So yes, when you are new to a country, no one knows you, no one is going to give you money, and that's understandable.
Cost of living in Iceland is on par with living in New York City metro/suburb area. Utilities in Iceland seem lower as well as your cable and mobile phone. Gas is the only thing that seems to be more expensive.
her cost range is pretty spot on, we pay about $2000/monthly in the downtown area
Amazing. I live about 30 miles from the centre of London UK and It costs me about half the Iceland cost.
All of those expenses are pretty close to Washington state. Im wondering how the wages compare.
Hi there! Do you have a 1 bedroom appt? Or larger?
Information that I found online regarding Iceland’s requirements to retire there: “Applying for a residence permit of any kind involves satisfying a number of basic requirements. First, you must prove you can financially support yourself in Iceland without relying on welfare. For a retired couple, this means proving you can spend at least 270,825 Icelandic kronur ($2,376) a month to support yourself. You’ll also need to provide health insurance that will be valid in Iceland (some American health insurances will work here) and prove that you have a place of residence in Iceland. Finally, you’ll need to prove that you don’t have a criminal record or any open case that could result in more than three months in jail.”
The $2,376 USD seems much lower than all of the monthly expenses you outline. It seems like the government required guidelines for a retirement resident permit does not really match your figures. Do you have any thoughts on this? Thanks!
The support requirement for issuing a residence permit is established by statute, and is deliberately set low (lower than the minimum full-time wage by a good margin) because the intent of the policy is to ensure the immigrant's ability to survive at a minimum level. The requirement is also only updated when a new amendment is passed to the statute, so usually it reflects a snapshot in time some distance in the past.
Regarding retiring in Iceland, the only residence permit category that's suitable for retirees is a permit available to parents of an Icelandic resident or citizen who are at least age 67. So, if you have a child who lives here already, you are 67 or older, the child is either an Icelandic citizen or has one of the permit types that permit family reunification, and you meet the requirements you quoted, you can get a permit. Importantly, if only one of a couple qualifies for such a permit (such as if they have divorced and remarried since their child's birth) they cannot sponsor their spouse or partner who is not a parent of the Icelandic resident or citizen.
Another alternative for retirees is if one of the retired couple have EU/EEA citizenship, they may move to Iceland together, and may apply for a residence permit for the non-EU/EEA spouse of an EU/EEA citizen. EU/EEA citizens do not themselves require any residence permit to move to and live in Iceland. Their spouses or cohabiting partners do, but there's a streamlined process for them to get residence permits.
Bottom line: If at least one of a retired couple is an EU/EEA citizen, or both of the couple are parents of an Icelandic resident or citizen, it's pretty straightforward to move to Iceland. Otherwise, it's really just not possible, since Iceland doesn't have a retiree permit category or any type of residence permit by investment program.
@@azotic1 Thank you for the detailed response! Don’t worry, I am not planning on retiring to Iceland but I was wondering about the financials listed here and information online. Have a lovely day 👍🥰
@@byzantineladybug9471 No worries! I hope the information will be helpful to others who come along. Iceland is a great place to live. I'm so happy Jeannie is here making such great videos to share and inform about the experience!
I'm curious, how available are organic produce and pantry items at the grocery stores in Iceland?
Do the jobs pay well?
I lived in Iceland many years ago. My son was born while we were there. Iceland is very expensive. It's an island and almost everything is imported. Not only that, taxes are high. I loved my 2 years there but I would not move there based on the cost of living, that weather (😮), and let's not forget those summer daylight/winter darkness hours. Iceland is a beautiful country but after having lived there, I'll stick with visits. lol.
Hi, but how much you get in a job per hour? Like a bus driver our a software developer?
Bus drivers get paid significantly more than someone doing a similar job in the U.S. Software developers generally get paid a lot less. Pay is pretty similar to much of Western Europe, though.
@@azotic1 I need actual salary numbers for various jobs/professions. Both hourly wage numbers and yearly salary numbers would be appreciated. If the numbers are significantly different for metro vs. rural areas, those numbers would also be appreciated. THANKS!
@@jaydee4009 I need a double meat burger from In-N-Out, with sliced onions, fries, and a vanilla shake. THANKS!
@@azotic1 : Sounds to me like you first need a fucking brain.
@@azotic1 : Not sure about the purpose of your comment. If it was meant to be funny, well, your witticism went way over my head. I guess it must have been funny to a super-intelligent person like you. So, please go ahead and have a wonderful day!
Thank you so much for doing this. Great insight into how much it really costs to live in Iceland.
Glad it was helpful!
Do both of you need to work to affordably live in Iceland? Like us in California. The costs here are very high, a one family income is not complete enough for basic needs.
Same story here in Pakistan!
I like how she is shocked by the "free" health care and education. (Of course, it is not free but paid by taxes) It is only Americans who are shocked by public funded health care. I moved from US to Canada 19 years ago and it took me a while to get used to "walk in clinics" and 70% of the services being covered by public health care. (However there are big problems with emergency services, backlogs, etc. (Another discussion ) )My impression is that the Nordic countries do a superb job of covering health care and education with taxes.
Why would anyone want the government to be in charge of your healthcare?
@@valhalla9688 Health care costs per capita in the US: ~ 13,000 USD.
Health care costs in Island per capita: ~ 5,200 USD.
Less for more. That's why.
If you can't trust the government to try and achieve the same, get another government. It should be no problem in a free country, right? 😉
Yes there are wait times and backlogs etc. (esp. after/during Covid) but those waits are not related to having a universal health care system. They are because of geography sometimes (rural area= fewer doctors) and because of the inefficient referral system. International studies rank the States near the bottom in terms of health care and it is also the most expensive. Nordic countries are near the top. Yes taxes are higher but when you factor in what they cover, they are miles ahead.
It’s amazing the things you can have when you don’t have a super massive military budget so you can stomp around the globe causing chaos.
@@sparky711chocThe wait times for Europe and Canada are in relation to non emergent care. People will sometimes wait up to six years for a hip replacement. That is not something an American with private insurance has to worry about. Many Canadians come across the border to get medically necessary procedures done because they don't want to wait years to finally walk again without pain (or walk again, period). Their healthcare isn't free. They pay for it with extremely high taxes, which is then rolled into healthcare. You will also note that Canada is pushing more for assisted su!cide. How long before the government makes those decisions for the people, or refuses to treat certain illnesses, thus forcing them to make that choice for themselves? Nothing is free, and it all comes down to money in the end. At least with private insurance, we can make choices about our care, and get in to see a doctor immediately. All medical emergencies are required to be treated and stabilized before a person can be released in America. The difference is the bill is paid after the care, not before in the U.S. There are good and bad doctors everywhere. I have been an RN for 26 yrs, and I have been on the receiving end of both.
Thank you!
Hi, nice video, groceries a month is it $400 or $1000 a month? Thanks.
Electric power seems inexpensive. Are electric cars popular?
Not really. Not many charging stations plus another reason is the cold weather.
So much for "climate change," !!! "global warming," everywhere but Ice Land !!! 😂😂😂
I'm not sure where others got their information, but Iceland has one of the highest rates of adoption of electric cars in the world. In 2022, 56% of new cars sold in Iceland were either fully electric or were plug-in hybrids. The low cost of electric power in Iceland is certainly a factor. (We own an electric vehicle and a full charge of that vehicle, which has a range of about 215 miles, costs about US$10 using the charging station in our carport at home.)
Fuel prices are comparable to the UK.
Can you import your own car?
How much do you have to pay for heating bills and what kind of heating do you have? You never mentioned that at all! And what kind of work do you and your husband do? Do your employers supplement any of your expenses?
How much do vices cost over there? I can't without mine.
What is the cost of living contrast in dollars in contrast with salary.
Aren't there electric cars and Ubers? I live in USA after we got electric car we now pay 10% in transportation costs from what we used to pay when we had gas powered one. The only caveat with electric - wheels wear out faster in my opinion so there might be some extra costs with wheel maintenance. Still much less in fuel cost.
It's expensive like living in San Diego, but better weather
Reykjavik looks cheap compared to Seattle.
What was that exchange rate again for US to Iceland?
Rent sounds cheaper than Miami so don’t feel bad:-)
Love your nails. So cute!
Rent is that high or more in Portland, Oregon and utilities are still worse.
Hello, I had a question, how much is the monthly income of an electrical engineer in Iceland? Can you live comfortably with income?
Do you know what groceries in korea is much expensive LOL GDP is just above 35,000usd but the prices in mart is looking up norwei
In much of Europe, people take trains and buses. Is that uncommon in Iceland?
Public or mass transit is not very common in Iceland. There are some buses but mostly relative to tours or within getting around Reykjavik.
I am curious about the language. I've read that the Icelandic language is difficult with loonnnng words😀 Have you learned the language or do you intend to?
Yes! I have taken some classes and did a few videos on how to pronounce Icelandic words/phrases, cities, sites...you name it! Thanks for tuning in!
Purchasing power is moderate, for housing rather low. Cheap electricity and water.
I have been reading about earthquakes in Iceland I heard about a possible volcanic eruption We hope everyone is safe
That is a lot for a whole month,what do you do for a living
What about the jobs in Iceland for International students is student can afford there expenses and there is less jobs more people or more jobs less people.
living there in the winter ...have you done one?
They dont realise its 12 De C today and a constant biting wind in the middle of Summer.
Then there is the Winter Sun...or lack of it. You have your SAD lamp though....
This still seems much cheaper than 90% of the united states these days
Agree. I pay more in Kansas City, MO!
Yes! I'm in S. CA (Orange County) where a decent 1 bedroom will run $2,800 and gas is $4.85
Those expenses are outrageous; for those prices you should be somewhere with great weather and a view.
@@dollyllama816That's crazy. I live in TX, and pay way less for a nice 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. I don't live in the middle of nowhere, either.
I agree.
Your prices are very similar or even a bit lower (esp for rent) than here in the Seattle area.
Can I ask is it hard to find job in corporation for someone who speak only english?
Haha why does everyone say it’s expensive to live in Iceland --This is ridiculous cheap then USA, anywhere in the USA-- I hope these are real prices in Iceland
I’m thinking of going haha 😅
The education alone makes it a plus🤝🏾
It costs the same amount to live in downtown Kansas City, MO.
How much it will cost for students 🥴
I wish one Day I visit Iceland 🇮🇸 💙 ❤️ 🤍
Taxes in the Philippines is 30+%
Still cheaper than the United States. At least the food is much healthier.
That's what I was thinking, this is way cheaper than the US once you consider health care costs, our taxes are lower (for some) but we more than make up for that is extraordinary health care costs.
We were just there and iceland is amazing!! But good there is $$$ so much our sister lives there getting her masters and she would fly home and fly back with suitcases of food …
When we visited we brought 3 50pound suitcases with protein bars, nuts, peanut butter, etc…. Helped our cost of visiting a lot. We bought bread made sandwiches while we traveled… but we brought snacks … chips etc … and with 5 kids that helped a lot. We only ate out hotdogs after swimming and then the ice cream there is amazing!!!
Bread there is so fresh compared to our American regular grocery stores but not much is grown there so everything is shipped over … so product etc gets $$$
How are you going to live paying $6000\month with no income?
Yup, San Diego is expensive 😂
Wayyyy too Ridiculous and expensive. I'll stay home in my USA!!!
You’ve lived there 8 years and are still “shocked” that the gas prices are per liter?
Omg and I complain how gas is $3.65 per gallon!😮
WHAT WHAT, it is cheaper to live in Iceland than Southern FL USA. USA is a huge rip off.
It’s almost exactly the same as Florida except for the gas price
I bet Amazon is very popular in Iceland……
On par with Denver Colorado.
I LOVE ❤ ICELAND 🇮🇸 💙❤️🤍❣️🤍❤️💙
Geez $72,000 a year just to live there? That's significantly more than i even make
And that's just you spending conservatively. 😅
U have such a sunny cheerful style of communication.... A bank should hire u to sign ppl up for compounding high interest loans.... ; P
honestly? the expenses in Iceland don't sound much more expensive than living in the US. And 8,000 dollars for a car in Iceland? Even if it's a used one?? Sweetie, that is NOT expensive! Um, what sort of jobs are available in Iceland?
Seems pretty cheap compared to some places in America
Agree.....I'm in S. CA and Iceland's prices seem reasonable. It's crazy here.
How are you going to live paying $6000\month with no income?
Why don't you tell them about your salaries. What about the energy coast
All Universities free.
All hospitals free.
Heating coast is free except the transport.
I do talk about all of these things in different videos!
Those apartment prices are comparable to California prices. Utilities much cheaper in Iceland.
I expected the cost to be more than the US . Not at all. I see someone from Portland Oregon in the comments, I am over the bridge in Vancouver Wa. You cannot find a studio apartment for less than 1,500 per month. Buying a house is over $500,000 we are talking 2 bedrooms. You haven’t been in the states for a long time 😂
Sounds very much like 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
$8 per gallon.
Funny that an isolated ocean locked island is about the same price as some places in California.
It's very expensive, beautiful place but I prefer Finnish Lapland, way cheaper
Wow, about 6K lord 😮
Cheaper than U.S.!
Why did you move there ? What is the appeal ?
👍
Public transport sounds very expensive, especially given implicit population intensity and therefore shorter commutes. Income tax rates, Like US until about Trump. But Iceland doesn’t have to pay $880 billion for defense costs.
Almost a 1/3 of what I spend a month in San Diego.
Actually this was pretty comparable to Southern California prices, if not even a bit better except for fuel for the car. But fuel prices in UK are even higher than Iceland. All countries with a national healthcare system build the cost into taxes. A much better system than US.
Prices sound a lot like 🇨🇭
That seems super expensive but people live there and are alive and happy so it must have high paying jobs??? Or where is peoples comfort and happpiness coming from!!
Why not tell us in $$$ as well
what do you mean we rent, we do not own? Is it possible to own a flat/house or there just aren't any on the market
she had mentioned in a different video -- I think it has to do with the fact they are not citizens of the country that they have to rent (or at the time of the video , at least)
I'd gladly pay more taxes for everyone to have healthcare and college. We already pay around 22%, and only make $70k a year for a family of 4. We'd bring home about the same if taxes were higher, but no insurance premiums through employment.
Sounds good but unsustainable with 15 million bogus asylum seekers coming into the country in just the time that Biden has been in office. If America could freeze immigration after Biden is sent out to pasture perhaps this will be possibe.
More expensive in Australia!!!!!
Bjork CDs are cheaper in the US. Actually they are outlawed.
Thank God! Someone has some semblance of musical taste!