An Iceland trip isn’t ‘cheap,’ even for those who plan it on a strict price range. The nation is called an costly vacation spot. You’ll have to get savvy to economize in your journey to Iceland. The common Iceland journey value is $200-300 per day – with out factoring in probably the most extortionate (but incredible) issues to do in Iceland.
Certain actions, like snorkeling between the tectonic plates, can value that only for one journey. And you’ll have to issue in rental automotive prices for those who plan to enterprise wherever outdoors of Reykjavik, the capital metropolis, that day journeys don’t cater to. All issues thought-about, you may rapidly see how issues add up. Maximizing your price range as a lot as doable 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 influence your last Iceland journey price range – be it rental automobiles or personal rooms. In this information, we’ll give you all the common journey value components so you may construct an concept of what price range you’ll want as a person visiting Iceland. We’ll cowl the whole lot, from lodging costs to meals prices and the prices of a number of the most sought-after excursions.
Airfare Cost
Airfare received’t be an enormous a part of your Iceland journey price range. Depending on the place you journey, the common worth 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 will not be costly to achieve airfare-wise.
Even then, it can save you cash when visiting Iceland by profiting from 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 really being worthwhile. Still, selecting properly and actively saving factors generally is a useful gizmo to get low cost flights. Always examine flight costs through the use of web sites and instruments like Skyscanner – at all times utilizing a personal browser, in fact, since these pesky cookies hike up costs on flights you view.
How versatile are you together with your Iceland trip as properly? It is price noting that for those who fly from Europe to North America with Icelandair, they provide a complimentary layover in Reykjavik, which you’ll prolong to wherever between 1 to 7 days for those who’d like a mini journey to Iceland. This is a superb means of compressing in an Iceland trip at a less expensive worth than direct flights often value. If you’re already making this journey, realizing about this little tip is helpful. Why not reap the benefits of a stopover you’ll already be making and reap the benefits of Icelandair’s usually cheaper flights? Just image it; you can mix London, New York, and Iceland in one journey.
As you may see, your Iceland trip value won’t be massively impacted by flight costs. However, if you wish to take additional steps to scale back the price of your journey to Iceland, there are a number 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 for those who 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 device equal.
Budget: $500 for return flights or underneath $200 in case you are versatile and departing from Europe.
Accommodation Prices
Accommodation costs in Iceland are steep. It’s surprisingly steep, really. Accommodation prices are one of many largest chunks of the common journey price range when visiting Iceland. Even probably the most primary of lodge rooms are extraordinarily costly, much more so when mid-range motels and – God forbid – luxurious motels. It can be price noting that the most affordable hostels and greatest 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 ebook far sufficient in advance to keep away from lacking out on one of the best costs.
If you act rapidly and ebook in advance, the common worth for a price range lodge is $150 per night time. For a three-day journey, you may anticipate to pay round $499; for per week, you’re looking at $1,047. If you don’t ebook in advance, these costs rise as you’re left to entrance payments to remain in extra luxurious motels and trip leases than you often would select. It additionally pays to think about location, as sure areas can have dearer lodge rooms, like on the Ring Road and Golden Circle.
Typical costs common $150 per night time, however keep in mind that that is throughout throughout Iceland as a normal common. Be ready to spend extra in sure areas. When planning a visit to Iceland, value is a big issue when selecting lodging, and it is advisable be fast-thinking to get one of the best offers.
These are a number of examples of common lodging prices in completely different Iceland motels:
Hofn Cottages
Hofn Cottages are as budget-friendly as lodging will get in Iceland. These primary cabins value 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 lodge in Reykjavik prices roughly $250 per night time, however you may see why. It has a classy design and an onsite wellness heart 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 lodge prices upwards of $500 for a median room. It is a superb instance of top-tier luxurious in Iceland. If you sleep by the magical phenomenon, you get a star gazing observatory onsite and even northern gentle 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 lodge.
Transportation
Regarding transport in Iceland, it is advisable notice one main factor – transport barely exists outdoors the realm of rental automobiles. Tourists fly into Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport, situated simply outdoors of Reykjavik’s capital; from there, you may arrange a shuttle service into the town heart. Reykjavik itself is actually 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 secure to depend on public transport in very distant areas. We wouldn’t advocate it in case you are venturing out of Reykjavik or the primary settlement areas.
If you keep in Reykjavik and don’t hire a automotive, you may arrange tour experiences to take you to the primary vacationer points of interest. 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 driving on black sand seashores, mountain climbing on glaciers, seeing exploding volcanoes, and snorkeling between the tectonic plates at Silfra. The caveat is that you’ll pay a whole bunch of {dollars} for every of those experiences, virtually like paying for mini holidays in your precise vacation. If you don’t wish to hire a automotive, you may nonetheless get pleasure from Iceland, however be ready to splurge a little bit on reserving personal tour day journeys. It will rocket the whole value of the common Iceland price range.
The greatest method to get out of Reykjavik and see Iceland is to ebook 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 have a look at, what season you go to, and whether or not you need a camper van or not. The most cost-effective choice is a automotive, for which you should buy a tent and camp or ebook low cost motels.
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 traditional week highway journey alongside the South Coast and full the traditional 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 points of interest and off-the-beaten-track experiences.
Budget: $350 plus $100 petrol for per week of hiring a rental automotive, or roughly $870 on transfers for day journeys and airport journeys.
Food
Food is one other important expense with regards to visiting Iceland. When calculating a visit to Iceland value, you have to put aside a minimum of $500 per week as a meals price range. For $500, you may afford a number 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 worth tags down in case you are versatile with attempting native manufacturers.
Need an concept 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 also needs to have an ISK to USD calculator prepared, because the conversion is a little bit 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 rooster fillets
It can be price mentioning that Iceland is known for its sizzling canine. A typical tip for saving cash is to snack on a sizzling canine for lunch as a substitute of sitting in at native eating places. The sausages are served on little takeaway carts and are one of the crucial conventional, budget-friendly Icelandic dishes.
They date again to the Viking period and are known as ‘bjuga’ sausages. Bought at little road stands, these sizzling canine value as little as $2.50 – an actual cut price. This enjoyable little tip is perhaps extra aimed toward novelty than real cash saving, however the spirit and general which means are spot on. Avoid sitting down recurrently to eat to economize, and keep in mind that native specialties are your greatest buddy.
Remember that if you wish to get pleasure from grocery retailer meals in Iceland, you have to have cooking amenities. And that is the place the lodging crossover comes in. You ought to ebook lodging with personal kitchen amenities in an condominium 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 lodge and don’t have entry to a kitchen, anticipate costs of round double the identical interval. The common meal worth is almost $120 for 2 individuals at a mid-range restaurant, which rapidly provides up.
Food is $500 per week for those who 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 for those who anticipate to eat out each 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 nearly all of your price range will come in – particularly for those who don’t rent a automotive and as a substitute depend on guided day journeys. These guided excursions can attain costs of over $300, and for those who 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 similar time, you don’t wish to miss out on any dream excursions. This little conundrum is what makes visiting Iceland so costly. And additionally, so spectacular – you wouldn’t wish to keep someplace with nothing to see, would you?
Recommended Tours in Iceland
Below are a number of the high excursions in Iceland. Don’t overlook to plan forward when visiting Iceland!
One method 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 free of charge other than petrol prices for those who 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 mountain climbing experiences require a information. Still, numerous Iceland will be visited independently with a rental automotive. Even northern lights searching will be completed by your self and with no information. To be sincere, 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 to be able to exit it alone, less expensive.
Alcohol costs can get actually costly in Iceland, so we propose stopping by a duty-free store or reducing alcohol to chop prices. Nightlife can get understandably costly in Iceland, so whereas partying will be enjoyable and a brief night time out will be budget-friendly in Reykjavik (when in Rome, proper?), stick to simply the odd night time out if doable.
It is price including that clothes is a further value when having fun with day journeys and actions in Iceland. You will probably want to take a position in a winter wardrobe with some merino additions; thermal garments are needed throughout most months in Iceland. You can’t compromise on this, and we’d advocate benefiting from clothes gross sales in the run-up to your journey to Iceland. With correct clothes, you’ll be heat. And for those who aren’t heat, how will you get pleasure from your expertise? Make probably the most of your cash by investing well in appropriate clothes to 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 value of buying appropriate clothes for every tour beforehand? These are our budgeting stats for per 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 per 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 gasoline. $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, anticipate 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, for those who’ve been frantically attempting 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 ebook lodging with cooking amenities. This is exactly how a lot you must price range to go to this lovely nation.
Airfare
Airfare prices roughly $500 for a return journey to Iceland while you fly from Europe or North America. However, in case you are 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 must price range $150 per night time for a median however cheap-ish lodge someplace moderately well-located. If you’re keen to compromise on location, you may decide up cheaper lodging for round $70 per night time. Or, if you need luxurious lodging, be ready to pay as much as $500 per night time. With all lodging sorts, ebook early to safe one of the best charges.
Transportation
Figuring out a transport price range is a troublesome one. If you get a rental automotive, you must price range $350 for renting the automobile upfront for per week and roughly $100 on gasoline. If you don’t hire a automotive, you may simply discover Reykjavik on the bus for as little as a number 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 points of interest. You also needs to add airport transfers at over $70 for return tickets on the shuttle bus. For per week in Iceland, price range $450 for transportation for those who rent a automotive and $870 for transportation for those who depend on shuttles.
Food
The message is easy relating to meals: discover lodging with a kitchen to reap the benefits 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 for those who plan on consuming out day-after-day for many if not all, meals.
Tours and Activities
Tours and actions are your most important value when visiting Iceland, particularly for those who don’t hire a automotive. Without a automotive, anticipate to pay round $1,600 over per 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 value we’ve simply given you? If you’re up for the problem, there are methods to economize when visiting Iceland. After all, a median worth is strictly that – a median worth of what most individuals spend after they go to. You can do higher than that for those who make the most of our high 10 recommendations on decreasing your Iceland journey value and saving your helpful cash.
Anything from automotive leases to hostels, and even some lesser-known issues like campsites and bus passes, could make an enormous distinction to what your vacation to Iceland prices. So, buckle up and put together to jot these high money-saving ideas down. Using these may knock a whole bunch, and even perhaps hundreds, 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 simplest ways to economize. 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 wish to do this stuff, why not go to in February or late January? Avoiding the December crush by choosing these shoulder seasons is the right method to snag decreased excursions and day journeys, plus discover cheaper lodge charges because of decrease reserving competitors.
Of course, in case you are versatile together with your Iceland actions, visiting in the low season is even higher. June till October is ideal for decrease automotive rental charges, cheaper motels, and tour offers. Remember that this era has sure tour and attraction closures, and also you probably will miss the northern lights. This season can be well-known for the midnight solar, the place Iceland stays gentle for twenty-four hours a day.
2. Buy From Grocery Stores
Grocery shops are a lot cheaper than native eating places. You don’t wish to stick with a price range whereas consuming out for each meal as a result of it simply received’t occur. The common value 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 for those who’ve discovered lodging with a kitchen, so it is a catch-22. We’d recommend discovering a communal kitchen or condominium lodge to profit from this money-saving approach. Trust us, it is going to be price it.
3. Rent a Car
This may sound dearer at first, however renting a automotive is among the greatest methods to discover Iceland on a price range – particularly if you wish to sightsee so much. This is as a result of excursions are one of the crucial costly in a median Iceland journey value. Companies cost extortionate quantities (we’re speaking a whole bunch 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 bunch if you buy greater than 2-3 day journeys. Being in a position to drive your self is among the greatest 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 points of interest. Iceland has a ton of free points of interest, be it waterfalls or the attractive geothermal space at Geysir. If you’re road-tripping Iceland, you may cease at these locations free of charge 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 fully free issues to do.
5. Try Camping
Camping is among the greatest methods to economize whereas visiting Iceland. You can camp in one in every of two methods – with a campervan or by renting or bringing a tent. It goes with out saying that it is a higher concept in summer season (learn: don’t try in chilly climate). Still, for those who go to Iceland at a heat time of yr, it’s a good method to scale back lodging costs. You’ll discover campsites throughout Iceland, so that is additionally one of the crucial simple money-saving tricks to put into apply.
6. Try out a Bus Pass
We’ll preface this by saying that bus connections are restricted. You will solely have the ability to use the bus community to entry particular locations at particular instances, so that you’ll have to be completely happy to make use of a fairly inflexible journey fashion if you’re going to reap the benefits of this journey hack. However, in case you are completely happy to paint between the strains to save lots of your self some money, bus passes are properly price wanting into. You pay a single flat fee payment and get limitless use of the bus community for a delegated interval. This saves you cash on in any other case costly day journeys or automotive leases. And for those who don’t have a driving license, it’s the most cost-effective different.
7. Buy Alcohol From Duty-Free Shops
Another enormous tip is to purchase alcohol from duty-free outlets. If you may decide up alcohol from the airport while you land, it should prevent a ton of cash in your journey to Iceland since alcohol is closely taxed. The duty-free store is your greatest buddy if you need a elaborate tipple. With that stated, although, a greater method could be not consuming whereas visiting Iceland. Iceland really 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 wish to save substantial cash when visiting, you must do your greatest 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 economize on visiting Iceland, you must contemplate options. You can learn all in regards to the Blue Lagoon right here, created utilizing a manufacturing facility’s thermal byproducts. But additionally it is price free sizzling springs you may go to in Iceland. Definitely have a look at options to mainstream vacationer points of interest.
9. Skip Bottled Water
Skip the bottled water; significantly, Iceland has a number of the purest faucet water in the world. Bottled water is a massively pointless expense, so convey a refillable water bottle and minimize the {dollars} you spend in your journey to Iceland. Of course, decreasing plastics additionally helps the atmosphere – an enormous win-win state of affairs. If you fancy going one step additional, particularly for those who plan on tenting, it’s price investing in a filter bottle, too, as a result of then you may replenish 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 need your journey to Iceland to be budget-friendly, strive one thing aside from this journey fashion whereas attempting to scale back your Iceland journey value. The extra you ebook in advance, the extra choices you’ll have relating to lodging and excursions. Since this stuff promote out quick, with the most affordable choices going first, you may shoot your self in the foot by ready. Check out refund insurance policies and rebooking flexibility in case you are fearful about committing too far in advance – simply don’t wait till the final second and financial institution on discovering price range options.
To Conclude
Your Iceland journey value may depend upon what you determine to do in your journey to Iceland. Still, this information offers you a fairly clear concept of a median Iceland journey value. By contemplating all of those components – lodging, meals, transport, airfare, and excursions – you’ll have a ready-made price range for visiting Iceland. And for those who use a few of our budgeting ideas, you may even avoid wasting cash. Who doesn’t wish to knock a piece off one of many world’s most costly locations?
Are you searching for extra Iceland inspiration? Check out these enjoyable information forward of your vacation to Iceland. We even have a information devoted to the greatest issues to do in Reykjavik – Iceland’s walkable and vibrant little capital metropolis. Don’t overlook to discover Reykjavik, even for those who head off on a week-long highway journey round the remainder of Iceland.