After spending eight years living in Iceland, Jewells Chambers says it’s the place she now calls home and she can’t imagine living in the United States ever again.
The 38-year-old Brooklyn native makes $73,000 a year in one of the world’s most expensive countries, but is much happier living abroad and has no plans to return to the United States.
Speaking to CNBC Make It, Jewells shared her trip to Iceland and explained how she is now debt-free and manages to save 10 percent of her salary per month, despite the high cost of living.
Jewells initially moved to the Nordic country when she married an Icelander.
“When I moved to Iceland, I felt like there was something magnetic that was drawing me in this direction, and I still haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly what it is, but I know it has something to do with nature,” she shared.
Jewells Chambers says Iceland is the place she now calls home and she doesn’t see herself living in the U.S. again.
In addition to moving for love, Jewells was also offered a job in the marketing department of a large travel company.
In 2018, she launched a social media brand called All things Iceland, which gives people exclusive insights into Iceland’s nature, history, culture and travel through the eyes of someone who moved there, via her podcast and YouTube channel.
While initially launched as a side hustle, the business expanded and in 2020 she was able to quit her full-time job and focus on her social media career.
‘(All Things Iceland) offers travel tips, advice and fun anecdotes about the country, as well as interviews on my podcast,’ Jewells explained.
“All Things Iceland has generated a little over $50,000 over the last six months and for the rest of the year, the projected revenue is $100,000 and the company pays me. Essentially, I pay myself $6,000 a month before taxes and pension,” he explained.
Jewells’ company earns revenue from ad sales, sponsorships, affiliate marketing and content production. It also sells maps, travel consultations and private tours.
As for budget, Jewells has a long-standing relationship with a car rental company, meaning she only has to pay for fuel. She added that Iceland has universal health insurance which is heavily subsidized and she does not pay a monthly health insurance fee.
“Iceland is an expensive country,” the creator admits. “Especially when it comes to eating out.”
The 38-year-old Brooklyn native makes $73,000 a year in one of the world’s most expensive countries, but is much happier living abroad and has no plans to return to the United States.
For Jewells, living on the Nordic island nation has had an “incredible” impact on her mental health
Jewells said she paid off her U.S. credit card a few years ago and has no student debt.
Jewells added that she had a “wonderful” experience when she moved and felt like a weight had been lifted when she felt like the color of her skin was no longer the most important part of her identity.
In June 2024, Jewells spent $4,667 on living expenses and eating out. She estimated that an entrée at a restaurant costs between $20 and $30, and a coffee costs between $7.50 and $8.
Jewells said she paid off her U.S. credit card a few years ago and has no student debt.
“It’s amazing to be able to say I’m debt-free and I’d like to keep it that way,” she joked. “(Every month when I pay myself), I automatically put 10 percent away in a savings account.”
While I love Iceland, there are some downsides compared to the US, including the lack of fresh produce, although there are other upsides.
“If you’re wondering what the water is like in Iceland, I’ll tell you it’s pristine,” he said. “It’s amazing. There’s no reason to buy bottled water in Iceland, ever.”
Jewells lives in downtown Reykjavik, in the 101 area, in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with an indoor parking space, where she pays $1,900 a month.
Another shock for Jewells was the weather.
“I love Iceland, but it can also be very harsh in winter when there is much less light,” he admitted.
While I love Iceland, there are some downsides compared to the US, including the lack of fresh produce.
While initially launched as a side hustle, the business expanded and in 2020 she was able to quit her full-time job and focus on her social media career.
Jewells lives in downtown Reykjavik, in the 101 area, in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with an indoor parking space, where she pays $1,900 a month.
“We have about four hours of daylight in our shortest day in the winter, but then we have bright 24-hour days during the summer.”
The weather varies from snowy to freezing, rainy during the winter with wind at any time of the year and rain during the summer.
“However, the temperatures are mild, which is nice, meaning it doesn’t really drop much below freezing on average throughout the winter and in the summer we get temperatures of maybe a high of 60 degrees F, but more like 40 to 55 is far away,” he explained.
One thing Jewells finds frustrating is not being able to order things online at the same price they would in the U.S.
“If I order from Amazon or iHerb, as I have done in the past, paying the customs fee can often be much more than the value of the item,” she complained.
Although Jewells’ Icelandic skills are improving, she is a little nervous about speaking it.
“Just because I feel like I’m afraid of making really big mistakes, and that’s something I’m working on. So my level of understanding is pretty high,” he said.
For Jewells, living on the Nordic island nation has had an “amazing” impact on her mental health.
‘The nature aspect has helped me in many ways to get rid of this idea… “I always have to talk about the colour of my skin,” she admitted. “Being a person of colour has many different facets in Iceland and everyone’s experience is different.”
Jewells is currently looking to buy an apartment with her boyfriend, who is Icelandic, and says Iceland is now her home for the “foreseeable future.”
“What I miss most about the United States is my family,” he says. “I travel to the United States once or twice a year and I have relatives who also visit me once or twice a year.”
Jewells added that she had a “wonderful” experience when she moved and that she felt like a weight had been lifted when she felt like the color of her skin was no longer the most important part of her identity.
“People seemed to be more interested in being from New York when we talked about it, and I loved that,” she gushed. “I loved just being Jules from New York.”
“There was definitely not nearly the same kind of weight that I felt in America regarding systematic oppression and racism,” the creator said.
While he added that racism definitely exists in Iceland, he just hasn’t experienced it in the same way.
Jewells is currently looking to buy an apartment with her boyfriend, who is Icelandic, and says Iceland is now her home for the “foreseeable future.”
“What I miss most about the United States is my family,” he says. “I travel to the country once or twice a year and I have relatives who also visit me once or twice a year.”
“I’ve been an Icelandic citizen for a few years now,” she continued. “Iceland is my home, I’ve felt that way ever since I moved here.”
