An Iceland trip isn’t ‘cheap,’ even if you happen to plan it on a strict price range. The nation is named an costly vacation spot. You’ll must get savvy to save cash in your journey to Iceland. The common Iceland journey price is $200-300 per day – with out factoring in probably the most extortionate (but implausible) issues to do in Iceland.
Certain actions, like snorkeling between the tectonic plates, can price that only for one journey. And you’ll must issue in rental automotive prices if you happen to plan to enterprise wherever outdoors of Reykjavik, the capital metropolis, that day journeys don’t cater to. All issues thought of, you may rapidly see how issues add up. Maximizing your price range as a lot as potential is important so that you don’t miss out on memorable actions and experiences. So, let’s determine an Iceland price range collectively.
How Much a Trip to Iceland Costs
When you go to Iceland, all of your choices affect your last Iceland journey price range – be it rental automobiles or personal rooms. In this information, we’ll offer you all the common journey price components so you may construct an thought of what price range you’ll want as a person visiting Iceland. We’ll cowl all the pieces, from lodging costs to meals prices and the prices of a few of the most sought-after excursions.
Airfare Cost
Airfare received’t be a large a part of your Iceland journey price range. Depending on the place you journey, the common value of flights is only some hundred {dollars}. The common flight from the east coast of the US to Iceland is simply $450 return, which will get even cheaper if you end up flying to and from Europe. Compared to flying to different locations, particularly Australasia, Iceland is just not costly to achieve airfare-wise.
Even then, it can save you cash when visiting Iceland by making the most of low season flights and utilizing air miles. Look into airline reward packages like British Airways, Qantas, and Delta SkyMiles. Airline loyalty packages get a foul rep for not truly being worthwhile. Still, selecting properly and actively saving factors is usually a useful gizmo to get low cost flights. Always examine flight costs by utilizing web sites and instruments like Skyscanner – all the time utilizing a non-public browser, in fact, since these pesky cookies hike up costs on flights you view.
How versatile are you along with your Iceland trip as effectively? It is value noting that if you happen to fly from Europe to North America with Icelandair, they provide a complimentary layover in Reykjavik, which you’ll be able to lengthen to wherever between 1 to 7 days if you happen to’d like a mini journey to Iceland. This is a superb means of compacting in an Iceland trip at a less expensive value than direct flights often price. If you’re already making this journey, figuring out about this little tip is useful. Why not make the most of a stopover you’ll already be making and make the most of Icelandair’s sometimes cheaper flights? Just image it; you can mix London, New York, and Iceland in one journey.
As you may see, your Iceland trip price is not going to be massively impacted by flight costs. However, if you wish to take further steps to scale back the price of your journey to Iceland, there are a couple of tips you may have up your sleeve. You ought to price range $500 most for return flights to Iceland from North America or Europe with a mid-range airline.
But if you happen to fly low season and from particular locations like London, you may snag flights for as little as $100 return. The extra versatile you’re, the decrease your airfare price range must be. And, in fact, the extra prepared you’re to fly outdoors of peak season, the higher offers you’ll discover. Our recommendation is to get searching on Skyscanner or a flight comparability instrument equal.
Budget: $500 for return flights or underneath $200 if you’re versatile and departing from Europe.
Accommodation Prices
Accommodation costs in Iceland are steep. It’s surprisingly steep, truly. Accommodation prices are one of many largest chunks of the common journey price range when visiting Iceland. Even probably the most primary of resort rooms are extraordinarily costly, much more so when taking a look at mid-range inns and – God forbid – luxurious inns. It can be value noting that the most cost effective hostels and finest value-for-money properties get snapped up rapidly. In distant areas of Iceland, you rapidly develop into quick on choices. Compare costs when reserving lodging in Iceland, but in addition be sure to don’t stall an excessive amount of and e book far sufficient in advance to keep away from lacking out on one of the best costs.
If you act rapidly and e book in advance, the common value for a price range resort is $150 per night time. For a three-day journey, you may count on to pay round $499; for every week, you’re looking at $1,047. If you don’t e book in advance, these costs rise as you’re left to entrance payments to remain in extra luxurious inns and trip leases than you often would select. It additionally pays to think about location, as sure areas may have dearer resort rooms, like on the Ring Road and Golden Circle.
Typical costs common $150 per night time, however do not forget that that is throughout throughout Iceland as a common common. Be ready to spend extra in sure areas. When planning a visit to Iceland, price is a big issue when selecting lodging, and you must be fast-thinking to get one of the best offers.
These are a couple of examples of common lodging prices in completely different Iceland inns:
Hofn Cottages
Hofn Cottages are as budget-friendly as lodging will get in Iceland. These primary cabins price simply $70 per night time; you get your individual patio and cooking amenities. These promote out rapidly. But their distant location means barely cheaper costs.
Reykjavik Konsulate Hotel
This mid-range resort in Reykjavik prices roughly $250 per night time, however you may see why. It has a classy design and an onsite wellness middle and health club. It is a shiny model of a mid-range keep in the capital, and it has an excellent location to get pleasure from central Reykjavik.
Hotel Ranga
This luxurious resort prices upwards of $500 for a median room. It is a superb instance of top-tier luxurious in Iceland. If you sleep by means of the magical phenomenon, you get a star gazing observatory onsite and even northern mild wake-up calls. Oh, and also you get volcano views out of your window.
Budget: $150 per night time for the common fee for an inexpensive resort.
Transportation
Regarding transport in Iceland, you must understand one main factor – transport barely exists outdoors the realm of rental automobiles. Tourists fly into Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport, positioned simply outdoors of Reykjavik’s capital; from there, you may manage a shuttle service into town middle. Reykjavik itself is absolutely walkable and a tiny metropolis, way more like a city than an precise metropolis, not to mention a ‘typical’ capital metropolis.
Iceland has a minimal bus service. It isn’t protected to depend on public transport in very distant areas. We wouldn’t advocate it if you’re venturing out of Reykjavik or the primary settlement areas.
If you keep in Reykjavik and don’t hire a automotive, you may manage tour experiences to take you to the primary vacationer sights. For occasion, you may get excursions to the Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, and Ring Road on the South Coast.
You can even get excursions to experiences like horseback using on black sand seashores, mountaineering on glaciers, seeing exploding volcanoes, and snorkeling between the tectonic plates at Silfra. The caveat is that you’ll pay a whole lot of {dollars} for every of those experiences, virtually like paying for mini holidays in your precise vacation. If you don’t need to hire a automotive, you may nonetheless get pleasure from Iceland, however be ready to splurge just a little on reserving personal tour day journeys. It will rocket the overall price of the common Iceland price range.
The finest technique to get out of Reykjavik and see Iceland is to e book a rental automotive. If you’re questioning ‘how much does it cost to rent a car,’ it will depend on which automotive rental firms you take a look at, what season you go to, and whether or not you desire a camper van or not. The most cost-effective possibility is a automotive, for which you should purchase a tent and camp or e book low cost inns.
Or you may spend extra upfront on a camper van and have the entire highway journey expertise, saving cash on lodging. With rental choices, you can embark on the basic week highway journey alongside the South Coast and full the basic Ring Road highway journey. It is probably the most liberating type of transportation round Iceland. And you’ll save a great deal of cash by avoiding the aforementioned costly organized day journeys whereas opening as much as extra free sights and off-the-beaten-track experiences.
Budget: $350 plus $100 petrol for every week of hiring a rental automotive, or roughly $870 on transfers for day journeys and airport journeys.
Food
Food is one other important expense relating to visiting Iceland. When calculating a visit to Iceland price, you could put aside no less than $500 per week as a meals price range. For $500, you may afford a couple of meals at native eating places, a meals store at one of many cheaper grocery shops, and some drinks on an evening out. Food costs are excessive in Iceland, particularly for imported and taxed items. However, you may quickly chip the value tags down if you’re versatile with making an attempt native manufacturers.
Need an thought of what meals costs are in Icelandic grocery shops? They aren’t extortionate, however you may see that some merchandise have a lot larger costs than others. You must also have an ISK to USD calculator prepared, because the conversion is just a little whacky. Average meals costs embody:
$1.60 for milk $3.20 for white rice $3.50 for a loaf of bread $2.20 for a bottle of water $14.90 for a block of cheese $19.60 for 1kg of hen fillets
It can be value mentioning that Iceland is known for its scorching canines. A typical tip for saving cash is to snack on a scorching canine for lunch as a substitute of sitting in at native eating places. The sausages are served on little takeaway carts and are probably the most conventional, budget-friendly Icelandic dishes.
They date again to the Viking period and are referred to as ‘bjuga’ sausages. Bought at little avenue stands, these scorching canines price as little as $2.50 – an actual discount. This enjoyable little tip may be extra geared toward novelty than real cash saving, however the spirit and general that means are spot on. Avoid sitting down commonly to eat to save cash, and do not forget that native specialties are your finest pal.
Remember that if you wish to get pleasure from grocery retailer meals in Iceland, you could have cooking amenities. And that is the place the lodging crossover comes in. You ought to e book lodging with personal kitchen amenities in an residence or a shared kitchen in a hostel or homestay atmosphere.
By selecting this lodging setup, you may simply nonetheless have a meals price range of $500. If you keep in a resort and don’t have entry to a kitchen, count on costs of round double the identical interval. The common meal value is almost $120 for 2 folks at a mid-range restaurant, which rapidly provides up.
Food is $500 per week if you happen to eat out a few instances and have a kitchen in your lodging. Alternatively, your meals price range will probably be nearer to $ 1,000 per week if you happen to count on to eat out day by day.
Budget: $500 per week for consuming out a few instances after which cooking in with grocery-bought meals, or $1000 for consuming out all week.
Tours and Activities
Entertainment costs are the place the vast majority of your price range will come in – particularly if you happen to don’t rent a automotive and as a substitute depend on guided day journeys. These guided excursions can attain costs of over $300, and if you happen to plan on doing 4-5 actions, you may see how this begins so as to add up. You can take guided journeys to the Golden Circle, whichever volcano is exploding and attracting enamored vacationers, and do issues like snorkel between the tectonic plates or spot the northern lights. All this stuff come at a value, however on the identical time, you don’t need to miss out on any dream excursions. This little conundrum is what makes visiting Iceland so costly. And additionally, so spectacular – you wouldn’t need to keep someplace with nothing to see, would you?
Recommended Tours in Iceland
Below are a few of the high excursions in Iceland. Don’t neglect to plan forward when visiting Iceland!
One technique to make this cheaper is to hire a automotive. Specific day journeys, particularly ones to see pure magnificence spots or spot the northern lights, are simply replicated without spending a dime other than petrol prices if you happen to hire a automotive. By paying a single upfront payment for a automotive rental, you may decide fascinating excursions and full them independently – just like the Golden Circle, Ring Road, and issues like one of the best Icelandic waterfalls.
Sure, issues like a ship tour to see whales or glacier mountaineering experiences require a information. Still, a number of Iceland may be visited independently with a rental automotive. Even northern lights searching may be executed by your self and with no information. To be trustworthy, most Northern Lights excursions are simply guessing and driving to distant spots anyway. Download one of many many maps and get up-to-date info on predictions so that you could exit it alone, less expensive.
Alcohol costs can get actually costly in Iceland, so we advise stopping by a duty-free store or chopping alcohol to chop prices. Nightlife can get understandably costly in Iceland, so whereas partying may be enjoyable and a brief night time out may be budget-friendly in Reykjavik (when in Rome, proper?), stick to simply the odd night time out if potential.
It is value including that clothes is an extra price when having fun with day journeys and actions in Iceland. You will doubtless want to speculate in a winter wardrobe with some merino additions; thermal garments are crucial throughout most months in Iceland. You can’t compromise on this, and we’d advocate profiting from clothes gross sales in the run-up to your journey to Iceland. With correct clothes, you can be heat. And if you happen to aren’t heat, how will you get pleasure from your expertise? Make probably the most of your cash by investing neatly in appropriate clothes in your actions beforehand.
So, how a lot do you have to price range for excursions and actions in Iceland? And what do you have to price range for the extra price of buying appropriate clothes for every tour beforehand? These are our budgeting stats for every week in Iceland with no automotive rental:
$1,200 for four-day journeys with an organized tour operator, together with transportation. $200 for appropriate clothes, together with two Merino high and backside base layers and sneakers. $200 for a few nights out in Reykjavik.
Total: $1,600
As you may see, having a automotive rental makes a substantial distinction when budgeting for excursions and actions in Iceland. These are our stats for every week in Iceland with a automotive rental:
$400 for four-day journeys, together with two organized excursions with out transportation and two free experiences. $100 gas. $200 for appropriate clothes, together with two Merino high and backside base layers and sneakers. $200 for a few nights out in Reykjavik.
Total: $900
Budget: Without a automotive, count on to pay round $1,600 over a week-long interval, whereas with a automotive, this totals as much as about $900.
Overall Trip Cost
So, if you happen to’ve been frantically making an attempt so as to add issues up, don’t fear; we’ve received you. This is how a lot touring to Iceland prices, not together with your journey insurance coverage. We’ll acknowledge the primary influencing components in every budgeting space – whether or not you hire a automotive, go to in off or shoulder seasons, and e book lodging with cooking amenities. This is exactly how a lot you need to price range to go to this stunning nation.
Airfare
Airfare prices roughly $500 for a return journey to Iceland whenever you fly from Europe or North America. However, if you’re flying from Europe, are versatile with visiting in off or shoulder seasons, and fly with mid-range airways, price range lower than $200 for return flights.
Accommodations
For lodging, you need to price range $150 per night time for a median however cheap-ish resort someplace moderately well-located. If you’re prepared to compromise on location, you may decide up cheaper lodging for round $70 per night time. Or, if you would like luxurious lodging, be ready to pay as much as $500 per night time. With all lodging varieties, e book early to safe one of the best charges.
Transportation
Figuring out a transport price range is a tricky one. If you get a rental automotive, you need to price range $350 for renting the car upfront for every week and roughly $100 on gas. If you don’t hire a automotive, you may simply discover Reykjavik on the bus for as little as a couple of {dollars} every time. However, you’ll spend much more on transfers, and we estimate an $800 distinction in your day journeys and tour prices versus self-drive sights. You must also add airport transfers at over $70 for return tickets on the shuttle bus. For every week in Iceland, price range $450 for transportation if you happen to rent a automotive and $870 for transportation if you happen to depend on shuttles.
Food
The message is straightforward relating to meals: discover lodging with a kitchen to make the most of grocery retailer costs. Budget $500 if you wish to eat out a few instances after which prepare dinner the remainder of the time. Budget $1000 if you happen to plan on consuming out day by day for many if not all, meals.
Tours and Activities
Tours and actions are your principal price when visiting Iceland, particularly if you happen to don’t hire a automotive. Without a automotive, count on to pay round $1,600 over every week, whereas with a automotive, this totals as much as about $900.
10 Top Money Saving Tips
Are you prepared to chop some cash off that common Iceland journey price we’ve simply given you? If you’re up for the problem, there are methods to save cash when visiting Iceland. After all, a median value is precisely that – a median value of what most individuals spend once they go to. You can do higher than that if you happen to make the most of our high 10 tips about decreasing your Iceland journey price and saving your useful cash.
Anything from automotive leases to hostels, and even some lesser-known issues like campsites and bus passes, could make a large distinction to what your vacation to Iceland prices. So, buckle up and put together to jot these high money-saving suggestions down. Using these might knock a whole lot, and even perhaps 1000’s, off your Iceland price range.
1. Visit Off-Season
It goes with out saying, however visiting Iceland in the low season is one of the best ways to save cash. Iceland will get tremendous busy over winter when vacationers flock to get pleasure from snow sports activities and attempt to spot the northern lights. If you need to do this stuff, why not go to in February or late January? Avoiding the December crush by choosing these shoulder seasons is the proper technique to snag decreased excursions and day journeys, plus discover cheaper resort charges because of decrease reserving competitors.
Of course, if you’re versatile along with your Iceland actions, visiting in the low season is even higher. June till October is ideal for decrease automotive rental charges, cheaper inns, and tour offers. Remember that this era has sure tour and attraction closures, and also you doubtless will miss the northern lights. This season can be well-known for the midnight solar, the place Iceland stays mild for twenty-four hours a day.
2. Buy From Grocery Stores
Grocery shops are a lot cheaper than native eating places. You don’t need to keep on with a price range whereas consuming out for each meal as a result of it simply received’t occur. The common price for a two-person meal at a mid-range restaurant in Reykjavik is practically $120. An common McDonald’s meal is over $16. Grocery costs are way more cheap, like $1.60 for a liter of milk or $3.44 for apples.
Buying meals from grocery shops may sound apparent, however this solely works successfully if you happen to’ve discovered lodging with a kitchen, so it is a catch-22. We’d recommend discovering a communal kitchen or residence resort to take advantage of this money-saving method. Trust us, it is going to be value it.
3. Rent a Car
This may sound dearer at first, however renting a automotive is among the finest methods to discover Iceland on a price range – particularly if you wish to sightsee so much. This is as a result of excursions are probably the most costly in a median Iceland journey price. Companies cost extortionate quantities (we’re speaking a whole lot of {dollars}) for easy issues like transfers. If you hire a automotive, sure, it is going to be an preliminary upfront funding, however you’ll save a whole lot if you buy greater than 2-3 day journeys. Being capable of drive your self is among the finest methods to chop journey prices in Iceland. Check charges right here!
4. Take Advantage of Free Attractions
If you hire a automotive, it additionally stands you in good stead for saving cash – having fun with Iceland’s free sights. Iceland has a ton of free sights, be it waterfalls or the gorgeous geothermal space at Geysir. If you’re road-tripping Iceland, you may cease at these locations without spending a dime and rapidly construct a low-cost itinerary. Everyone is aware of Iceland is pricey, however with some analysis, you may quickly discover budget-friendly and infrequently solely free issues to do.
5. Try Camping
Camping is among the finest methods to save cash whereas visiting Iceland. You can camp in certainly one of two methods – with a campervan or by renting or bringing a tent. It goes with out saying that it is a higher thought in summer time (learn: don’t try in chilly climate). Still, if you happen to go to Iceland at a heat time of 12 months, it’s a good technique to scale back lodging costs. You’ll discover campsites throughout Iceland, so that is additionally probably the most simple money-saving tricks to put into follow.
6. Try out a Bus Pass
We’ll preface this by saying that bus connections are restricted. You will solely be capable of use the bus community to entry particular locations at particular instances, so that you’ll must be glad to make use of a fairly inflexible journey fashion if you will make the most of this journey hack. However, if you’re glad to paint between the strains to save lots of your self some money, bus passes are effectively value wanting into. You pay a single flat fee payment and get limitless use of the bus community for a chosen interval. This saves you cash on in any other case costly day journeys or automotive leases. And if you happen to don’t have a driving license, it’s the most cost-effective various.
7. Buy Alcohol From Duty-Free Shops
Another big tip is to purchase alcohol from duty-free outlets. If you may decide up alcohol from the airport whenever you land, it is going to prevent a ton of cash in your journey to Iceland since alcohol is closely taxed. The duty-free store is your finest pal if you would like a elaborate tipple. With that stated, although, a greater strategy can be not consuming whereas visiting Iceland. Iceland truly banned alcohol in 1915, and the ban was solely absolutely lifted in 1989 – which is now hailed as beer day. The nation has a longstanding political objection to the consumption of alcohol. If you need to save substantial cash when visiting, you need to do your finest to conjure up a monetary objection.
8. Find Hot Springs that Aren’t the Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is dreamy; we’ll be the primary to confess it. However, to save cash on visiting Iceland, you need to take into account alternate options. You can learn all in regards to the Blue Lagoon right here, created utilizing a manufacturing facility’s thermal byproducts. But it is usually value taking a look at free scorching springs you may go to in Iceland. Definitely take a look at alternate options to mainstream vacationer sights.
9. Skip Bottled Water
Skip the bottled water; significantly, Iceland has a few of the purest faucet water in the world. Bottled water is a massively pointless expense, so deliver a refillable water bottle and lower the {dollars} you spend in your journey to Iceland. Of course, decreasing plastics additionally helps the atmosphere – an enormous win-win scenario. If you fancy going one step additional, particularly if you happen to plan on tenting, it’s value investing in a filter bottle, too, as a result of then you may refill from pure water sources like rivers and lagoons.
10. Book in Advance
Sure, there’s a time and place for carefree, last-minute journey. But if you would like your journey to Iceland to be budget-friendly, attempt one thing aside from this journey fashion whereas making an attempt to scale back your Iceland journey price. The extra you e book in advance, the extra choices you’ll have relating to lodging and excursions. Since this stuff promote out quick, with the most cost effective choices going first, you may shoot your self in the foot by ready. Check out refund insurance policies and rebooking flexibility if you’re fearful about committing too far in advance – simply don’t wait till the final second and financial institution on discovering price range alternate options.
To Conclude
Your Iceland journey price may rely on what you resolve to do in your journey to Iceland. Still, this information provides you a fairly clear thought of a median Iceland journey price. By contemplating all of those components – lodging, meals, transport, airfare, and excursions – you’ll have a ready-made price range for visiting Iceland. And if you happen to use a few of our budgeting suggestions, you may even avoid wasting cash. Who doesn’t need to knock a piece off one of many world’s costliest locations?
Are you on the lookout for extra Iceland inspiration? Check out these enjoyable information forward of your vacation to Iceland. We even have a information devoted to the finest issues to do in Reykjavik – Iceland’s walkable and vibrant little capital metropolis. Don’t neglect to discover Reykjavik, even if you happen to head off on a week-long highway journey round the remainder of Iceland.