How Much Does An Iceland Trip Cost in 2023: Detailed Budget Breakdown

An Iceland trip is rarely ‘low-cost,’ even if you happen to plan it on a strict funds. The nation is called 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 essentially the most extortionate (but improbable) issues to do in Iceland. 

Sure actions, like snorkeling between the tectonic plates, can price that only for one journey. And also you’ll must think about rental automobile prices if you happen to plan to enterprise wherever exterior 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 funds as a lot as attainable is important so that you don’t miss out on memorable actions and experiences. So, let’s determine an Iceland funds collectively.

How A lot a Journey to Iceland Prices

If you go to Iceland, all of your choices affect your remaining Iceland journey funds – be it rental automobiles or personal rooms. On this information, we’ll give you all the typical journey price elements so you may construct an thought of what funds you’ll want as a person visiting Iceland. We’ll cowl every part, from lodging costs to meals prices and the prices of among the most sought-after excursions.

Airfare Price

Airfare gained’t be a large a part of your Iceland journey funds. Relying on the place you journey, the typical worth of flights is just a few 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 find yourself flying to and from Europe. In comparison with flying to different locations, particularly Australasia, Iceland isn’t costly to succeed in 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 nasty rep for not truly being worthwhile. Nonetheless, selecting properly and actively saving factors could be a useful gizmo to get low-cost flights. All the time examine flight costs through the use of 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 together with your Iceland trip as properly? It’s price 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 prolong to wherever between 1 to 7 days if you happen to’d like a mini journey to Iceland. It is a good approach of compacting in an Iceland trip at a less expensive worth than direct flights often price. If you’re already making this journey, realizing about this little tip is helpful. Why not make the most of a stopover you’ll already be making and make the most of Icelandair’s sometimes cheaper flights? Simply image it; you may mix London, New York, and Iceland in a single journey.

As you may see, your Iceland trip price is not going to be massively impacted by flight costs. Nevertheless, if you wish to take further steps to scale back the price of your journey to Iceland, there are a couple of methods you may have up your sleeve. It is best to funds $500 most for return flights to Iceland from North America or Europe with a mid-range airline.

However 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 funds must be. And, in fact, the extra prepared you’re to fly exterior of peak season, the higher offers you’ll discover. Our recommendation is to get searching on Skyscanner or a flight comparability software equal.

• Funds: $500 for return flights or beneath $200 if you’re versatile and departing from Europe.

Lodging Costs

Lodging costs in Iceland are steep. It’s surprisingly steep, truly. Lodging prices are one of many largest chunks of the typical journey funds when visiting Iceland. Even essentially the most primary of lodge rooms are extraordinarily costly, much more so when mid-range resorts and – God forbid – luxurious resorts. Additionally it is price noting that the most cost effective hostels and finest value-for-money properties get snapped up rapidly. In distant areas of Iceland, you rapidly turn out to be brief on choices. Evaluate costs when reserving lodging in Iceland, but in addition be sure you don’t stall an excessive amount of and ebook far sufficient upfront to keep away from lacking out on one of the best costs.

In the event you act rapidly and ebook upfront, the common worth for a funds lodge is $150 per evening. For a three-day journey, you may count on to pay round $499; for per week, you’re looking at $1,047. In the event you don’t ebook upfront, these costs rise as you’re left to entrance payments to remain in additional luxurious resorts and trip leases than you often would select. It additionally pays to contemplate location, as sure areas can have dearer lodge rooms, like on the Ring Street and Golden Circle.

Typical costs common $150 per evening, however do not forget that that is throughout throughout Iceland as a normal common. Be ready to spend extra in sure areas. When planning a visit to Iceland, price is a large issue when selecting lodging, and you’ll want to be fast-thinking to get one of the best offers.

These are a couple of examples of common lodging prices in several Iceland resorts:

Hofn Cottages

Hofn Cottages are as budget-friendly as lodging will get in Iceland. These primary cabins price simply $70 per evening; you get your personal patio and cooking amenities. These promote out rapidly. However their distant location means barely cheaper costs.

Reykjavik Konsulate Resort

This mid-range lodge in Reykjavik prices roughly $250 per evening, however you may see why. It has a classy design and an onsite wellness heart and health club. It’s a shiny model of a mid-range keep within the capital, and it has an incredible location to get pleasure from central Reykjavik.

Resort Ranga

This luxurious lodge prices upwards of $500 for a median room. It’s a good instance of top-tier luxurious in Iceland. In the event 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.

• Funds: $150 per evening for the typical fee for an inexpensive lodge.

Transportation

Concerning transport in Iceland, you’ll want to understand one main factor – transport barely exists exterior the realm of rental automobiles. Vacationers fly into Iceland’s Keflavik Worldwide Airport, situated simply exterior of Reykjavik’s capital; from there, you may manage a shuttle service into town heart. Reykjavik itself is actually walkable and a tiny metropolis, far 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 suggest it if you’re venturing out of Reykjavik or the principle settlement areas.

In the event you keep in Reykjavik and don’t lease a automobile, you may manage tour experiences to take you to the principle vacationer points of interest. As an example, you will get excursions to the Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, and Ring Street on the South Coast. 

It’s also possible to get excursions to experiences like horseback using 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 lot of {dollars} for every of those experiences, nearly like paying for mini holidays in your precise vacation. In the event you don’t wish to lease a automobile, you may nonetheless get pleasure from Iceland, however be ready to splurge somewhat on reserving personal tour day journeys. It’ll rocket the full price of the typical Iceland funds.

One of the best ways to get out of Reykjavik and see Iceland is to ebook a rental automobile. If you’re questioning ‘how a lot does it price to lease a automobile,’ it relies on which automobile rental corporations 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 choice is a automobile, for which you should buy a tent and camp or ebook low-cost resorts.

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 may embark on the basic week highway journey alongside the South Coast and full the basic Ring Street highway journey. It’s the most liberating type of transportation round Iceland. And also 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.

•  Funds: $350 plus $100 petrol for per week of hiring a rental automobile, or roughly $870 on transfers for day journeys and airport journeys.

Meals

Meals is one other important expense in the case of visiting Iceland. When calculating a visit to Iceland price, you need to put aside at the least $500 per week as a meals funds. 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. Meals costs are excessive in Iceland, particularly for imported and taxed items. Nevertheless, you may quickly chip the value tags down if you’re versatile with attempting native manufacturers.

Want 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 somewhat whacky. Common meals costs embrace:

• $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

Additionally it is price mentioning that Iceland is legendary for its sizzling canine. A typical tip for saving cash is to snack on a sizzling canine for lunch as an alternative 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. Purchased at little road stands, these sizzling canine price as little as $2.50 – an actual cut price. This enjoyable little tip could be extra geared toward novelty than real cash saving, however the spirit and total which means are spot on. Keep away from sitting down often to eat to save cash, and do not forget that native specialties are your finest good friend.

Do not forget that if you wish to get pleasure from grocery retailer meals in Iceland, you need to have cooking amenities. And that is the place the lodging crossover is available in. It is best 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 funds of $500. In the event you keep in a lodge and don’t have entry to a kitchen, count on costs of round double the identical interval. The common meal worth is almost $120 for 2 folks at a mid-range restaurant, which rapidly provides up.

Meals is $500 per week if you happen to eat out a few instances and have a kitchen in your lodging. Alternatively, your meals funds shall be nearer to $ 1,000 per week if you happen to count on to eat out day by day.

• Funds: $500 per week for consuming out a few instances after which cooking in with grocery-bought meals, or $1000 for consuming out all week.

Excursions and Actions

Leisure costs are the place the vast majority of your funds will are available in – particularly if you happen to don’t rent a automobile and as an alternative 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 may 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 these items come at a value, however on the identical time, you don’t wish to miss out on any dream excursions. This little conundrum is what makes visiting Iceland so costly. And in addition, so spectacular – you wouldn’t wish to keep someplace with nothing to see, would you?

One option to make this cheaper is to lease a automobile. Particular day journeys, particularly ones to see pure magnificence spots or spot the northern lights, are simply replicated at no cost other than petrol prices if you happen to lease a automobile. By paying a single upfront charge for a automobile rental, you may choose fascinating excursions and full them independently – just like the Golden Circle, Ring Street, and issues like one of the best Icelandic waterfalls.

Certain, issues like a ship tour to see whales or glacier mountain climbing experiences require a information. Nonetheless, a number of Iceland could be visited independently with a rental automobile. Even northern lights searching could be accomplished by your self and with out a information. To be sincere, most Northern Lights excursions are simply guessing and driving to distant spots anyway. Obtain one of many many maps and get up-to-date info on predictions as a way to exit it alone, less expensive.

Alcohol costs can get actually costly in Iceland, so we recommend stopping by a duty-free store or slicing alcohol to chop prices. Nightlife can get understandably costly in Iceland, so whereas partying could be enjoyable and a brief evening out could be budget-friendly in Reykjavik (when in Rome, proper?), stick to simply the odd evening out if attainable.

It’s price including that clothes is a further price when having fun with day journeys and actions in Iceland. You’ll probably must put money into a winter wardrobe with some merino additions; thermal garments are obligatory throughout most months in Iceland. You may’t compromise on this, and we’d suggest taking advantage of clothes gross sales within the run-up to your journey to Iceland. With correct clothes, you may be heat. And if you happen to aren’t heat, how will you get pleasure from your expertise? Benefit from your cash by investing neatly in appropriate clothes in your actions beforehand.

So, how a lot do you have to funds for excursions and actions in Iceland? And what do you have to funds for the extra price of buying appropriate clothes for every tour beforehand? These are our budgeting stats for per week in Iceland with out a automobile rental:

• $1,200 for four-day journeys with an organized tour operator, together with transportation.
• $200 for appropriate clothes, together with two Merino prime and backside base layers and sneakers.
• $200 for a few nights out in Reykjavik.

Complete: $1,600

As you may see, having a automobile rental makes a substantial distinction when budgeting for excursions and actions in Iceland. These are our stats for per week in Iceland with a automobile 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 prime and backside base layers and sneakers.
• $200 for a few nights out in Reykjavik.

Complete: $900

• Funds: And not using a automobile, count on to pay round $1,600 over a week-long interval, whereas with a automobile, this totals as much as about $900.

General Journey Price

So, if you happen to’ve been frantically attempting so as to add issues up, don’t fear; we’ve acquired you. That is how a lot touring to Iceland prices, not together with your journey insurance coverage. We’ll acknowledge the principle influencing elements in every budgeting space – whether or not you lease a automobile, go to in off or shoulder seasons, and ebook lodging with cooking amenities. That is exactly how a lot you need to funds to go to this stunning nation.

Airfare

Airfare prices roughly $500 for a return journey to Iceland if you fly from Europe or North America. Nevertheless, if you’re flying from Europe, are versatile with visiting in off or shoulder seasons, and fly with mid-range airways, funds lower than $200 for return flights.

Lodging

For lodging, you need to funds $150 per evening for a median however cheap-ish lodge someplace moderately well-located. If you’re keen to compromise on location, you may choose up cheaper lodging for round $70 per evening. Or, in order for you luxurious lodging, be ready to pay as much as $500 per evening. With all lodging sorts, ebook early to safe one of the best charges.

Transportation

Determining a transport funds is a tricky one. In the event you get a rental automobile, you need to funds $350 for renting the automobile upfront for per week and roughly $100 on gasoline. In the event you don’t lease a automobile, you may simply discover Reykjavik on the bus for as little as a couple of {dollars} every time. Nevertheless, 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 must also add airport transfers at over $70 for return tickets on the shuttle bus. For per week in Iceland, funds $450 for transportation if you happen to rent a automobile and $870 for transportation if you happen to depend on shuttles.

Meals

The message is straightforward relating to meals: discover lodging with a kitchen to make the most of grocery retailer costs. Funds $500 if you wish to eat out a few instances after which prepare dinner the remainder of the time. Funds $1000 if you happen to plan on consuming out day by day for many if not all, meals.

Excursions and Actions

Excursions and actions are your important price when visiting Iceland, particularly if you happen to don’t lease a automobile. And not using a automobile, count on to pay round $1,600 over per week, whereas with a automobile, this totals as much as about $900.

10 Prime Cash Saving Ideas

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. In spite of everything, a median worth is strictly that – a median worth of what most individuals spend once they go to. You are able to do higher than that if you happen to make the most of our prime 10 recommendations on lowering your Iceland journey price and saving your invaluable cash.

Something from automobile 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 prime money-saving suggestions down. Utilizing these might knock a whole lot, and even perhaps hundreds, off your Iceland funds.

1. Go to Off-Season

It goes with out saying, however visiting Iceland within the low season is the easiest way 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 wish to do these items, why not go to in February or late January? Avoiding the December crush by selecting these shoulder seasons is the proper option to snag lowered excursions and day journeys, plus discover cheaper lodge charges due to decrease reserving competitors.

After all, if you’re versatile together with your Iceland actions, visiting within the low season is even higher. June till October is ideal for decrease automobile rental charges, cheaper resorts, and tour offers. Do not forget 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 mild for twenty-four hours a day.

2. Purchase From Grocery Shops

Grocery shops are a lot cheaper than native eating places. You don’t wish to persist with a funds whereas consuming out for each meal as a result of it simply gained’t occur. The common price for a two-person meal at a mid-range restaurant in Reykjavik is practically $120. A mean McDonald’s meal is over $16. Grocery costs are far more affordable, like $1.60 for a liter of milk or $3.44 for apples.

Shopping for 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 counsel discovering a communal kitchen or condominium lodge to take advantage of this money-saving approach. Belief us, it is going to be price it.

3. Lease a Automobile

This may sound dearer at first, however renting a automobile is among the finest methods to discover Iceland on a funds – particularly if you wish to sightsee loads. It is because excursions are one of the crucial costly in a median Iceland journey price. Corporations cost extortionate quantities (we’re speaking a whole lot of {dollars}) for easy issues like transfers. In the event you lease a automobile, 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. With the ability to drive your self is among the finest methods to chop journey prices in Iceland. Test charges right here!

4. Take Benefit of Free Points of interest

In the event you lease a automobile, 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 gorgeous geothermal space at Geysir. If you’re road-tripping Iceland, you may cease at these locations at no cost and rapidly construct a low-cost itinerary. Everybody is aware of Iceland is pricey, however with some analysis, you may quickly discover budget-friendly and sometimes totally free issues to do.

5. Strive Tenting

Tenting is among the finest methods to save cash whereas visiting Iceland. You may camp in considered 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 season (learn: don’t try in chilly climate). Nonetheless, if you happen to go to Iceland at a heat time of yr, it’s a good option to scale back lodging costs. You’ll discover campsites throughout Iceland, so that is additionally one of the crucial easy money-saving tricks to put into follow.

6. Check out a Bus Move

We’ll preface this by saying that bus connections are restricted. You’ll solely be capable to use the bus community to entry particular locations at particular instances, so that you’ll should be pleased to make use of a reasonably inflexible journey model if you’re going to make the most of this journey hack. Nevertheless, if you’re pleased to paint between the strains to avoid wasting your self some money, bus passes are properly price wanting into. You pay a single flat fee charge and get limitless use of the bus community for a chosen interval. This protects you cash on in any other case costly day journeys or automobile leases. And if you happen to don’t have a driving license, it’s the most cost-effective various.

7. Purchase Alcohol From Obligation-Free Outlets

One other enormous tip is to purchase alcohol from duty-free outlets. In the event you can choose up alcohol from the airport if 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 finest good friend in order for you a flowery tipple. With that mentioned, although, a greater strategy could 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 wish to save substantial cash when visiting, you need to do your finest to conjure up a monetary objection.

8. Discover Sizzling Springs that Aren’t the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is dreamy; we’ll be the primary to confess it. Nevertheless, to save cash on visiting Iceland, you need to contemplate options. You may learn all concerning the Blue Lagoon right here, created utilizing a manufacturing unit’s thermal byproducts. However it is usually price  free sizzling springs you may go to in Iceland. Undoubtedly take a look at options to mainstream vacationer points of interest.

9. Skip Bottled Water

Skip the bottled water; severely, Iceland has among the purest faucet water on the earth. Bottled water is a massively pointless expense, so convey a refillable water bottle and reduce the {dollars} you spend in your journey to Iceland. After all, lowering plastics additionally helps the atmosphere – an enormous win-win scenario. In the event you fancy going one step additional, particularly if you happen to plan on tenting, it’s price investing in a filter bottle, too, as a result of then you may refill from pure water sources like rivers and lagoons.

10. Guide in Advance

Certain, there’s a time and place for carefree, last-minute journey. However in order for you your journey to Iceland to be budget-friendly, attempt one thing apart from this journey model whereas attempting to scale back your Iceland journey price. The extra you ebook upfront, the extra choices you’ll have relating to lodging and excursions. Since these items promote out quick, with the most cost effective choices going first, you may shoot your self within the foot by ready. Try refund insurance policies and rebooking flexibility if you’re apprehensive about committing too far upfront – simply don’t wait till the final second and financial institution on discovering funds options.

To Conclude

Your Iceland journey price may depend upon what you resolve to do in your journey to Iceland. Nonetheless, this information offers you a reasonably clear thought of a median Iceland journey price. By contemplating all of those elements – lodging, meals, transport, airfare, and excursions – you’ll have a ready-made funds for visiting Iceland. And if you happen to use a few of our budgeting suggestions, you may even avoid wasting cash. Who doesn’t wish to knock a piece off one of many world’s costliest locations?

Are you on the lookout for extra Iceland inspiration? Try these enjoyable info 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.