Going to Iceland?
You are thinking about going to Iceland, but are concerned about the cost. That is completely reasonable. While Iceland is a great place to visit, it is also very expensive. Here are my suggestions for traveling to Iceland on a budget
What makes Iceland Expensive?
Iceland is a remote Iceland in the North Atlantic. Due to its location, isolation, and its difficulty in producing products like strawberries and apples, many normal household items Westerners are used to, have to be imported. This can be and is very expensive. Many essential equipment needed for farming and building etc also needs to be imported. The skyrocketing prices in Iceland are just the cost of doing business in Iceland.
When traveling to Iceland, it’s important to keep this in mind. But don’t worry, there is a way to travel to Iceland on a budget.
When to Go?
Iceland is a popular place to visit in Summer and Winter due to the beautiful landscape in both seasons. From my research, there wasn’t really a big difference in expenses from summer to winter. While there are popular seasons in Iceland, I am not sure certain months are significantly less expensive than others. If you want to travel to Iceland on a budget, I would recommend not heading to Iceland during the months of July, August, and December as these are the heights of their Summer and Winter season.
Flying to Iceland on a Budget?
There are two rules of thought here. The first is to plan ahead and the second is to take advantage of last-minute deals. I am not a last-minute type of girl so I of course bought my ticket crazy early. For me, it worked out well. I got a round-trip ticket to Iceland for less than $500 because I bought my ticket so early. Couple of things to keep in mind though. I was flying out of Boson which has a nonstop 5-hour flight to Reykjavik. This cut down on the flight cost significantly. If I was flying from the West Coast, it would have been much more expensive.
When preparing for this blog post ( and planning my next trip) I reviewed average flight prices 10 months from now. Average flights from West Coast to Iceland ranged between $750-$1300. Prices were significantly more favorable for those traveling from the East Coast.
For those who are a bit more adventurous than I am, there are great websites that offer last-minute trip deals. to be honest I can’t vouch for these sites as I do not have the stomach for spontaneous trips. There are plenty of options online though.
Where to Stay in Iceland on a Budget?
There are a variety of places to stay during your Iceland trip. For those who are traveling to Iceland on a budget, there are many options for every price point.
During my Iceland trip, I met many people (single travelers and group travelers) who stayed at hostels in Reykjavik. For those who want to stay in Iceland on a Budget, hostels would be your best option.
For those who have a little bit more cash to spend but don’t want to break the bank, there are quite a few hotels that are a bit more private than a Hostel but still affordable. I stayed in a local hotel in the Reykjavik city center for 6 nights. Total cost was < $800. I booked my hotel >6 months in advance which helped cover my cost. A friend I met in Iceland paid for her hotel 3 weeks before the trip and paid > $1300 for 4 nights. My hotel was located in the city center of Reykjavik and it was the best location for me. I loved it because it was near all the major shops and eateries in Reykjavik. It had all the essentials including a stove, refrigerator, and microwave. Kitchen items including pots, skillets, and cups were also included which was really nice and necessary. These kitchen items were essential for my trip and as I will state later, essential for traveling to Iceland on a budget.
It is important to consider how far your location is from the city center ( if staying in Reykjavik). Some of the hotels or hostels are located far from downtown. For me, a person who loves walking, running, and being close to the action, it was important for me to get a hotel in downtown Reykjavik. Being located in the city center allowed me to catch tourist buses easily as well as visit all the local Reykjavik attractions. A few things to consider however is the noise level. Being in the city center allows you easy access but it can also get very loud during the evening hours. There were many nights where I could hear the patrons at the bar next door after midnight. However, thankfully my days were jammed packed, and by the time I headed to bed, I was sleeping within 10 minutes.
Where to Eat in Iceland on a Budget?
Food in Iceland was vastly more expensive than what I expected it to be. I had breakfast one morning at a local brunch spot in Reykjavik and paid almost $40 for eggs, fruit, and a cup of coffee. That was the cheapest sit-down meal I had while in Iceland. But don’t worry, there is a way to eat in Iceland on a budget.
To cut down on food costs, I did the following.
1.) Duty-Free Station: Firstly, Alcohol. For me it is essential. I bought a bottle of wine and multiple mini bottles at the Duty-Free store in Keflavik airport. Definitely cut down on cost.
2.) Grocery Store Run. Early on I recognized how expensive eating out daily would be in Iceland. I decided that the best thing I could do would be to limit my eating out excursions. To cut back on cost I decided to do a grocery store run and bought the essentials. Sandwiches for outdoor excursions, fruit and yogurt for breakfast, a few energy-boosting snacks, and one water bottle. (Bring a reusable water bottle!)
These two easy steps saved me hundreds of dollars on food costs.
Just Pack It!
This may be a controversial opinion, but I thought it was worth mentioning. While I am a huge fan of the one carry-on bag, I do wonder if packing one large suitcase might have been beneficial. Iceland is expensive. Iceland has pretty extreme weather. It was hard to pack for four seasons in one small bag and because of that I definitely forgot a few essential items. Again, Iceland is expensive and that includes clothing. When shopping for snow pants at local gift shops I thought I had entered Nordstroms. I am Marshalls kind of gal so this was a bit shocking to me.
So my best advice is if you think you need it, just pack it!
