Oslo vs Reykjavík
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Oslo edges it, 68 to 66, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Oslo is stronger on getting there & around; Reykjavík on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Oslo | Reykjavík |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 11 | 13 ✓ |
| Safety | 90 | 91 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 91 | 91 ✓ |
| Internet | 76 | 84 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 90 | 90 |
| Getting there & around | 56 ✓ | 28 |
| Climate | 8 ✓ | 0 |
| Air quality | 92 | 100 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 98 | 99 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Oslo | Reykjavík |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $3,646 | $3,490 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Oslo | Reykjavík |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.6 ✓ | 1.1 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 81.3 | 86.5 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 89 | 90 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 82.9 yrs ✓ | 82.6 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Oslo | Reykjavík |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 62.8 Mbps | 91.8 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 26.3 Mbps | 31.5 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Oslo | Reykjavík |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Oslo | Reykjavík |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 150 ✓ | 88 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 ✓ | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Oslo | Reykjavík |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 1 ✓ | 0 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 8.5 µg/m³ | 3.8 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Oslo or Reykjavík?
- Reykjavík is cheaper: about $3,490 per month versus $3,646 for one person.
- Is Oslo or Reykjavík safer?
- Reykjavík scores higher on safety (91 vs 90), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Oslo or Reykjavík?
- Reykjavík: a measured median of 91.8 Mbps versus 62.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages). Dataset 2026.09.4. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.