Many citizens may perceive Iceland as a great nation, with substantial paychecks, broad kindness, and stunning natural beauty. That is correct! It’s a beautiful place to call home. However, even though you are presumably aware, once you agree to stay in Iceland for an extended period, you will become acquainted with the other stance of the country.
It is a popular saying that when you get to know something better, it reveals its ugly side. You may be thinking that does it ever get hot in Iceland? Iceland’s hottest highest degree was 30.5°Celsius, in the nation’s east. Seasonally, the climate is relatively pleasant.
Many travelers ask, “Can I move to Iceland?” Relocating to Iceland is simple if you are a member of the European Economic Area EEA or the European Free Trade Association EFTA. Moreover, Is it expensive to live in Iceland? Iceland is well-known for its exorbitant costs.
You need to earn a monthly paycheck of 125,000 ISK approximately $1011.49 to maintain yourself. Trying to rent a standard space for a month will set you back approximately 50,000 ISK ($404.60). Let’s take a step further and know that is Iceland a good place to live?
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PROS AND CONS OF LIVING IN ICELAND
What are the pros and cons of living in Iceland?
| PROS(Advantages) | Cons(Disadvantages) |
| NATURE | ISOLATION |
| SAFETY | EVERYTHING’S EXPENSIVE |
| WATER QUALITY | THE WEATHER |
| FRESH AIR | POOR QUALITY OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS |
| CULTURAL SCENE | DIFFICULT LANGUAGE |
| EQUALITY | PUBLIC TRANSPORT |
| BRIGHT AND LONG SUMMERS |
ADVANTAGES
1. NATURE
That is an undeniable advantage. Iceland is known as the “Land of Fire and Ice” for a good simple fact. The major motive individuals visit here is to see the natural world. Featuring magnificent fountains, hills, geysers, bays, evening stars, ice caps, and a wonderful shoreline, it’s natural and gorgeous. It’s not all about the flowers, though! It’s a fantastic place to go whale-watching or bird-watching. Sharks are frequently seen on the Vestmannaeyjar coasts, lounging on the penguins. Hikers will love it, and everything tops the reality that it only requires 30 minutes to travel outside of town and into the woods. The moss-covered lava fields give it a Mars-like appearance.
2. SAFETY
While considering that is Iceland a good place to live? Yes, because of its safety. It is a very peaceful nation. It is extremely uncommon for somebody to break the law. Remember to keep your eyes open, particularly if you’re downtown on a crazy Friday or Saturday night. It’s critical to follow the most fundamental safety standards. Iceland has a violent crime rate of 0 to 2 annually. Because there are so few criminal offenses, each one is widely reported and discussed. Every life is equally valuable, which adds to our societal framework with no classes. In the following installment, I’ll go through that in further detail.
Where do people live in Iceland?
Reykjavik is home to the great bulk of Iceland’s low inhabitants. Except for Akureyri in the north, nearly everything beyond is simply a forest or a rural town.
3. WATER QUALITY
When considering whether is Iceland a good place to live, the country’s water quality should be taken into account. Water in Iceland can be consumed directly from the faucet! Only if it’s chilly. Glaciers provide the icy freshwater, while hot basins supply the boiling water. They’re equally excellent, although there is a little thing you need to understand regarding one of them. Due to the extreme of the sulfuric acid in the water, it has a foul-smelling odor. However, you become accustomed to it and the odor dissipates soon after you exit the shower.
And believe the fact there is none worse than returning to the house after a trip overseas and having to take a big mouthful of ice-cold, spotless water from the tap. The water supply is healthy to take, and waterfalls provide 95 percent of Iceland’s freshwater. It’s also, in actuality, a few of the purest and tastiest sources of neat liquid on the planet. Iceland waters are chlorinated, calcium-free, and nitrate-free, contrasting that of most of its neighbors.
4. FRESH AIR
Nothing compares to taking a big breath of clean Icelandic air after stepping off a plane. It is only occasionally congested; it occurs primarily throughout the cold season, because many motor vehicles have bedecked wheels, and in between the Xmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations when Iceland residents go completely nuts with fireworks. Because the residence is warmed with warm water directly from the thermal baths, there are zero pollutants associated with it. On Saturdays and Sundays, taking a brief ride out of town to inhale the natural mountainside or coastline breeze is very great. It’s good for your intellect as well as your lungs.
5. CULTURAL SCENE
There are numerous active clubs across the city region where people may hear indigenous music. Definitely would just not put it up against the neighboring Cities in Europe, but given Iceland’s size of 364 thousand, it’s fairly lively. Aside from that, there are numerous tourist attractions, craft exhibitions, and minuscule movie theaters, such as Bó Parads, one in which visitors can view a variety of Icelandic films that help to gain an understanding of the traditions and heritage as well as way of life.
6. EQUALITY
Icelandic places a high value on equality of the sexes and is delighted in this. However, it isn’t just concerning women’s equality. This as well applies to males, as evidenced by paternal vacation, which has nearly equaled maternal vacation in length. It’s amazing to witness such deliberate adjustments that allow everybody to sense valued and acknowledged. Iceland wasn’t immune to the movement against equal rights. The gradual development is credited to the unity of women human rights activists fighting and condemning the concentration of authority in the control of men and the authority of men over women, as is the scenario throughout the globe. This is one of the answers to the question: is Iceland a good place to live?
7. BRIGHT AND LONG SUMMERS
There is something very special regarding seeing the scenic beauty at nightfall which makes Iceland a good place to live in. Midsummer Celebration is one of many celebrations commemorating the shortest day of the year. This is a fantastic period of the season to fill up on vitamin D3 ahead of the lengthy, cold winter ahead. This is likewise a wonderful period to journey because there is approximately 21 h of natural light, the essence is in blossoms, and the climate is generally not as bad. Iceland is fortunate to have a lengthy and sunny summer season.
DISADVANTAGES
1. ISOLATION
One of the primary downsides of living in Iceland is being separated. Iceland remains, after all, an island. Many individuals may be accustomed to this, however, if you’re from European Countries, in which you can hop on a rail and travel to the neighboring nation in four hours or less, it’s not so simple. You must take a flight if you wish to travel outside of your country (or take a ferry). The absence of ties to nearby nations is palpable. It’s considerably tougher in early winters because snowfall or thunderstorms effectively cut villages off from the body of the nation. It can be exhilarating at times, but it can also be annoying over time, especially if you have lived in a nation with neighbors.
2. EVERYTHING’S EXPENSIVE
Good incomes equate to higher housing expenditures. Most of the items and facilities, such as medical services and rental housing, are very costly. Natives are aware that there is a shortage of apartments to mortgage, so people start raising the month-to-month living expenses to make up the difference, this explains how do Icelanders afford to live. Many individuals are more humanitarian than others, but it’s not uncommon to see sheds or basements converted into workshops for roughly 1400 USD.
Iceland is now ranked as the globe’s third more costly nation. The fundamental transportation expenses for travelers have also been researched by banking institutions, and the results are astounding. Hotel expenses in Reykjavik are 11-33 percent higher than in some Nordic cities; cafe and hotel accommodations expenses are 44.2 percent higher than the European Union average, and the value of alcoholic drinks is 124 percent higher than the European Union average. Is Iceland a good place to live? Yes, therefore do not be discouraged; there are several alternatives to tour in Iceland without breaking the budget.
Can a foreigner buy a house in Iceland?
Investing in real estate in Iceland is undoubtedly the most significant engagement anyone can make to this modest country. The Icelandic house sector is full of ever-changing prospects, whether you’re wanting to buy a house here to make it your permanent residence or rent it out to foreigners or native Icelanders. The average price of a house in the city is approximately around 40 million ISK ($382,500) and 50 million ISK ($478,130).
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3. THE WEATHER
The atmosphere in Iceland is notoriously fickle. “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes,” as the adage goes. Heavy snow, ice, rainfall, lightning, sunshine, and storms are all possible on the same day. The weather seldom rises over 20 degrees Celsius throughout the summertime, even though it is lengthy and frequently sunshine. Icelanders are known for playing aggressively and wearing simple sleeves and skirts, but even in the summertime, the heat paired with an icy wind isn’t fun. The majority of the inhabitants choose to spend their summer vacations somewhere sunny, such as Spain or California.
4. POOR QUALITY OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS
As previously stated, it is an island situated far from any mainland. Fresh vegetable ends up taking a long period to ship because it is selected before it is ready to harvest, compromising its durability, flavor, and richness. Iceland attempts to grow as many vegetables as possible. There are many farms where peppers, pickles, and mushrooms are cultivated owing to hydropower. However, it affects the freshness of the tomatoes; you seldom get a true, matured tomato with a deep red.
5. DIFFICULT LANGUAGE
It is not tough in grammatical constructions, but it is quite challenging in terms of tone and articulation. Icelanders are accustomed to speaking English and are fluent in it, but they can be presumptuous of your strategy to mastering their mother tongue. Whenever they realize individuals desire to settle there indefinitely, it’s natural that they prefer one who speaks Icelandic. Although many of you are merely there for a few seasons, mastering more than the essentials of a language recognized in only 1 nation in the globe with a census of 364 thousand is pointless. Most foreigners also comment how tough it is to learn their Icelandic because the natives reflexively respond in English.
6. PUBLIC TRANSPORT
It does, after all, exist. However, it is costly, slow, and poorly linked, and you will spend a significant amount of time commuting. That is why Icelanders enroll in driving lessons as soon as possible to avoid wasting money and nerves on public transportation. Strætó is the name of the firm provided you still wish to utilize it. Strætó is Reykjavik’s primary mode of public transit.
How much money do you need to survive in Iceland?
Food, clothing, health treatment, entertainment, transportation, communications, and other facilities can cost up to ISK 137,000 that’s roughly $1,050 each month for a specific individual. A one-bedroom house in Reykjavik costs around ISK 130,000 approximately $990 monthly.
Conclusion
The question of “is Iceland a good place to live,” which concerns the majority of visitors considering relocating to or visiting Iceland, has been adequately answered. As a result, before packing your belongings and going to Iceland, you should study the advantages and disadvantages of living in Iceland.
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