Real interest rate in Iceland

Iceland: Real interest rate was 3.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
3.9%
Change on year
down 35.9%
World rank
86th
of 148 countries
All-time high
14.4%
in 2007
All-time low
-19.5%
in 1983
Years of data
44
1982–2025

Real interest rate in Iceland, 1982–2025

-20-100101982200320251982: -4.3 %1983: -19.5 %1984: -3.2 %1985: 0.39 %1986: -4.7 %1987: 5.6 %1988: 5.8 %1989: 4.1 %1990: 0.878 %1991: 8.4 %1992: 9.3 %1993: 12.1 %1994: 7.8 %1995: 8.3 %1996: 9.6 %1997: 9.8 %1998: 7.7 %1999: 9.5 %2000: 12.3 %2001: 8.5 %2002: 9 %2003: 11.4 %2004: 9.1 %2005: 11.5 %2006: 8.5 %2007: 14.4 %2008: 7.1 %2009: 7.2 %2010: 3.5 %2011: 4.1 %2012: 4.7 %2013: 5.5 %2014: 3.4 %2015: 0.804 %2016: 5.4 %2017: 5.6 %2018: 3.7 %2019: 2 %2020: 1.4 %2021: -0.701 %2022: -1.1 %2023: 5.7 %2024: 6 %2025: 3.9 %

Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for real interest rate in Iceland is 3.9%, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 35.9% on the previous year and up 381.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, real interest rate in Iceland peaked at 14.4% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -19.5%, in 1983.

That places Iceland 86th out of 148 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s -2.0% -19.5% 5.8% 8
1990s 8.3% 0.9% 12.1% 10
2000s 9.9% 7.1% 14.4% 10
2010s 3.9% 0.8% 5.6% 10
2020s 2.5% -1.1% 6.0% 6

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 83 Albania 4.0% compare
  2. 84 Mexico 4.0% compare
  3. 85 Bahamas 4.0% compare
  4. 87 Togo 3.8% compare
  5. 88 Paraguay 3.8% compare
  6. 89 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3.7% compare

See the full ranking of 148 places →

More financial sector data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is real interest rate in Iceland?
Real interest rate in Iceland was 3.9% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest real interest rate recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 14.4% in 2007.
What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was -19.5% in 1983.
How does Iceland rank for real interest rate?
Iceland ranks 86th out of 148 countries with data for 2025.
Is real interest rate rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 381.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iceland data come from?
The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Real interest rate (%)
Unit
%
Source
International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
148 places, 4,763 data points, 1961–2025
Last refreshed

An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.