Iceland

Iceland is volcanoes, hot springs and a single real city: nearly the whole population lives in and around Reykjavík. Food, rent and transport cost a lot even by Nordic standards because almost everything is imported, while heating and electricity are cheap. Winter is dark and windy rather than freezing, summer is cool with bright nights, and the weather changes several times a day. The labour market is narrow and tied to tourism and fish, housing is scarce, and the isolation becomes real by midwinter.