Living in Iceland

General living conditions in Iceland

Iceland is an archipelago country in the Pacific Ocean and the northernmost country in Europe, which has 31 islands, including a large island and 30 small ones. This country is 102950 square kilometers, of which 408 km is a lake. Iceland is four times the size of the United Kingdom. Its capital is Reykjavik, and the closest European countries to Iceland are Scotland and Norway, each of which is about 900 km away. This country’s economy is dependent on the fishing industry, which is the fifth one in the world. Iceland has a population of over 36 million, about 39% of whom are fishermen. Iceland has a GDP of 25 billion dollars a year, ranking 106th in the world. People of this country are not very interested in saving and spend their money to have fun. It is why it is one of the happiest countries in the world. This country created a system in community management in which men and women have equal status and rights. You may be interested to know that the currency of Iceland is “Corona”!!

Iceland has a good position in many welfare criteria and indicators of life compared to other countries. This country is also above average in terms of:

job and income indicators

Environmental quality

Security and social relations

Income and wealth index

Comfort and well-being

Personal security

Civic participation

Education and job skills

However, this country is in the middle to a low level in housing and balance between life and work. In Iceland, the average per capita income in each household is slightly lower than the OECD index, less than 33,604 dollars per year. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was established to rebuild European countries after World War II. Economic stability is the basis for economic growth, democracy, and the promotion of social welfare in member countries. It is worth mentioning that the reports and statistics of this organization in the field of welfare indicators and countries’ economies are the most reliable analyzes in the world.

In terms of employment, 86% of people aged 15 to 64 in Iceland have higher-paying jobs than the average employment rate of 68% and have the highest OECD rate. In Iceland, about 80% of men and 83% of women are employed. About 15% of Iceland’s employees work very long hours, which is more than 11% of the rate set by the OECD. In Iceland, 24% of men and 6% of women in all occupations work very long hours. High education and skills are essential for finding a job in Iceland. 77% of adults between the ages of 25 and 64 in this country have completed high school, which is less than the OECD average, which is 78%. Life expectancy in Iceland is estimated at 80 years for men and 84 years for women. The rate of civic participation is 98% and the rate of political participation is 80% in this country, which shows that the rate of civic and political participation in Icelandic society is ideal.

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Topics reviewed in this article:

• Living expenses in Iceland
• Advantages of living in Iceland
• Important cities in Iceland
• Level of people’s satisfaction with the quality of life in Iceland

Living expenses in Iceland

We want to look at the different costs and expenses in Iceland in this section. It is worth mentioning that every US dollar is equivalent to 140 Icelandic coronas.

Disadvantages and problems of living in Iceland

The most critical negative points and disadvantages of living in Iceland are the following:

The geographical isolation of Iceland

Iceland is an island, and many of its natives may be accustomed to living in it. But considering that you always have to use a plane or travel by sea to leave this country, which can be problematic for many people. After living in Iceland for a while, you feel uncomfortable because you cannot communicate with neighboring countries, especially in winter when snow and storms cut off communication with other cities. The situation may seem exciting at first, but it will be annoying after a while.

Weather

Iceland’s weather is very unpredictable. Snow, hail, rain, rainbow, sun, and wind can happen in one day.

Everything is expensive

Reasonable wages and high costs are the two main problems of living in Iceland. Some goods and services in Iceland are quite expensive, such as health care and the cost of renting or buying a house.

Limited range of goods

It is difficult for companies and markets in other countries to provide services and goods for Iceland because it is an island. This issue has an impact on the price of a wide range of products.

Low-quality vegetables and fruits

Difficult language

Its grammar is not very difficult, but it is very hard in sound and pronunciation.

Unstable economy and market

Living conditions in Iceland and its economic situation are closely related to the growth of the tourism industry. The tourism industry in Iceland is also volatile and prone to fluctuations.

Driving

Icelanders have their own driving rules and rarely follow traffic rules.

Public transportation

Iceland’s transportation is expensive, slow, and difficult to access. So, Icelanders learn to drive so that they do not have to use public transport.

Difficulty in making friends

Icelanders treat immigrants politely and friendly. But it is quite tough to enter their friend circles.

Advantages of living in Iceland

Beautiful Nature

Iceland is the land of fire and ice. The nature of Iceland is one of the main reasons why people enter this country.

fresh air

Fantastic drinking water

Iceland is the best country in terms of drinking water.

High salary and good quality of life

The unemployment rate is low, and the income is reasonable.

Internet connection

stable energy

Hot springs and pools

Very great culture

Gender equality

Iceland has very high standards in the field of rights and equality between men and women. It could achieve a very high level of gender equality in society and its structures.

Long and bright summers

During the summer in Iceland, you will enjoy the sunshine and bright nature for about 21 hours every day.

Security

Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world.

Important cities in Iceland

We need to have some information about the cities in Iceland to evaluate and understand their living conditions. The most critical cities in Iceland in the political, social, cultural, educational, and occupational fields are as follows:

Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the capital, and it is the most populous and largest city in Iceland, which has a population of more than 120,000 people. It is the most crowded city in Iceland and where all of Iceland’s economic arteries end.

Akureyri

This city is Iceland’s second most populous city, which has many natural attractions and attracts several tourists. The most important festivals in Iceland are held in this city. It is covered with snow during the winter. However, you can visit urban attractions such as museums and other fascinating places.

Hafnarfjordur

It is the third most vital city in Iceland. The big summer festival and monthly festivals are held in this city. There is a comprehensive local swimming pool in this city, which distinguishes Hafnarfjordur and is one of the main characteristics of this city. Those who are interested in swimming in hot pools will travel to this city.

Seyolsfior

It is the fourth most important city in Iceland, with about 700 people, and is one of the most beautiful places in Iceland in terms of natural scenery. The beautiful waterfalls in nature around this city are one of the unique attractions of it.

Level of people’s satisfaction with the quality of life in Iceland

Trust in government is essential for social cohesion and well-being. Many people participate in the elections in this country. Data shows that in the most recent election, voter turnout in Iceland was 79%. It is 68% higher than the OECD average.

Widespread public participation in the decision-making process is also critical for government accountability and preserving trust in public institutions. The formal process of public participation in the formulation of laws and regulations is one way of measuring the people’s involvement in government decisions on fundamental issues that affect their lives. The stakeholder participation rate is 2.1 (on a scale of 0 to 4), which is less than the OECD average of 2.4. Most OECD countries have made great strides in life expectancy over the past decades, thanks to improved living conditions, public health interventions, and advances in the medical care system. Life expectancy in Iceland is slightly higher than 82 years, two years more than the OECD average, which is 80 years (according to statistics). More life expectancy is generally associated with higher health care costs per person, although many other factors affect life expectancies such as standard of living, lifestyle, education, and environmental factors. Happiness or mental well-being can be measured through life satisfaction, the presence of positive experiences and feelings, and the absence of negative experiences and emotions. Such actions are subjective, but at the same time, they are a useful complement to objective data to compare the quality of life in countries.

Life satisfaction assesses how people value their lives instead of their current emotions. When Icelanders were asked to rate their general life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10, they gave it an average score of 7.5, which is much higher than the OECD average of 6.5.