Life in Iceland, which is officially ranked as the world’s most expensive country, is actually quite different from the idealised image often seen on social media. Agnieszka Jastrzębska, a Polish citizen who has lived on the island for 12 years, spoke about this in an interview with Interia. She said that the main advantages were the openness of the Icelanders, the lack of formality and safety. But the expat has had to deal with a lot of challenges, like the harsh climate (polar night in winter, when it only starts to get light at 11.30 am), plans being dependent on snowstorms and high prices. She says that the huge salaries don’t cover the sky-high cost of living and rent, which is why so many people are living on credit. The situation is made even more complicated by the terrible state of public healthcare, and the fact that there’s no private healthcare available. It’s also really tough being so far from family, which can lead to a really lonely feeling.
Iceland has officially been named the most expensive country in the world. But if you think life there is like a fairy tale about happy, wealthy people, think again. Agnieszka Jastrzębska, a Polish citizen, told the Polish publication Interia in an interview why Iceland is actually a very difficult place to live. This is especially true if you are an immigrant. She says she moved to Iceland 12 years ago on an Erasmus exchange programme. It was there that she met her future husband, who was from Iceland.
Agneszka was pretty taken aback by Iceland’s unusual climate and pace of life when she first visited.
“When I first got to Iceland, which was in the middle of winter, back in January, I was blown away by the fresh air and the fact that it got dark so late, at 11:30. I slept well until 10 in the morning!” she says.
She said that working in a local café helped her adapt quickly, as she only interacted with Icelanders and learnt the language. At the same time, she noticed how open the locals were and the less formal relationships in society.
We addressed university lecturers by their first names, just as I now address, for example, my boss. I also saw the former President of Iceland twice in very everyday situations,’ said the Polish woman.
Agnieszka says that life in northern Iceland depends a lot on the weather. She says that even well-planned activities can be disrupted by a blizzard or blocked roads. At the same time, locals try to make the most of sunny days to relax in the countryside.
The Polish woman also said that real life in Iceland is very different from the image often portrayed on social media.
“The average family struggles to put anything aside for a rainy day, and living on credit thanks to credit cards is pretty normal these days,” she explained.
She also said that high wages in Iceland are coupled with even higher costs. The situation is made particularly difficult by expensive housing and problems with healthcare.
“Iceland is considered a rich country. Yeah, salaries are good, but the cost of living is through the roof. Healthcare facilities are in a terrible state, there aren’t enough specialist doctors, and private healthcare is basically nonexistent,” said Agnieszka.
She also said that, over time, she feels more and more lonely because she lives so far from her family. The Polish woman said that raising a child needs support from relatives and friends, and that’s exactly what she’s missing in Iceland.
“It’s pretty depressing when you realise that other places are just a few hours away by plane,” she said.
Despite the difficulties, the Polish woman says that life in Iceland has taught her to take a more relaxed view of things she can’t influence, as well as to appreciate life’s simple pleasures. At the same time, she advises those planning to move there not to get too excited about the country and to prepare in advance for the harsh climate, isolation and peculiarities of the local healthcare system.