MINIMUM AND AVERAGE SALARY IN ICELAND
Iceland is a very beautiful island state with a population of only 347.4 thousand people, located in the North Atlantic Ocean near Greenland and the UK halfway between New York and Moscow. This developed European country has a mild climate, stunning nature, stable economy and high standard of living, including decent wages.
Work in Iceland for foreigners is available mainly in the fishing industry, tourism and information technology. Of course, it is quite difficult for foreign job seekers to find a vacancy on the local labor market. It is necessary to have a profession in demand, appropriate qualifications and experience. Let's find out what salary in Iceland in 2023.
Minimum salary in Iceland
Iceland does not have an official minimum wage approved by the government. It is established through negotiations between employer and employee and is fixed in the employment contract. In addition, there are special collective agreements for many sectors of the economy and specific rates automatically apply to all employees.
According to the Icelandic Store and Office Workers' Union (VR), the minimum wage in Iceland in 2023 is 368 thousand króna per month, which is equivalent to 2,455 euros. The rate applies to employees over 18 years of age who work 171.15 hours per month (39.5 hours per week) and have worked for at least six months in one company (minimum 900 hours).
The latest agreement between Iceland's trade unions, the Central Bank, and the government called for a gradual increase in the minimum wage in Iceland from April 1, 2019 to November 1, 2022, to 390,000 króna per month (EUR 2,555). In general, the minimum wage depends on the region, profession, length of service, age and skill level of the employee.
Average salary in France
According to the official information of the Icelandic Statistics Office, before taxes the average salary in Iceland in 2023 is 770 thousand króna per month, which at the current exchange rate is 5,050 euros. At the same time, Icelandic men earn on average 18% more than women, and salaries in the public and private sector are almost the same for local workers.
Important. Income tax in Iceland in 2023 is 31.45% for monthly income from 0 to 409,986 króna, 37.95% for income from 409,987 to 1,151,012 króna and 46.25% for income over 1,151,012 króna.
The average salary in Iceland after tax is about 393 thousand króna per month (2,575 euros).
| Sector of economy | Thousand króna per month | Thousand euros per month |
| Financial and insurance | 1,007 | 7.2 |
| Electricity and gas supply | 968 | 6.9 |
| Public administration and security | 817 | 5.8 |
| Health Care | 787 | 5.6 |
| Information and communication | 766 | 5.5 |
| Transportation and storage | 721 | 5.1 |
| Production | 686 | 4.9 |
| Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 683 | 4.9 |
| Education | 608 | 4.3 |
| Accommodation and meals | 504 | 3.6 |
In conclusion, employees in Iceland traditionally receive two guaranteed one-time bonuses – in May and December. In 2020, the May bonus increased from 48,000 to 50,000 króna (330 euros) and the December bonus from 89,000 to 92,000 króna (600 euros).
