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

An Iceland trip isn’t ‘cheap,’ even in case you 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 price is $200-300 per day – with out factoring in essentially the most extortionate (but improbable) issues to do in Iceland. 

Certain actions, like snorkeling between the tectonic plates, can price that only for one journey. And you’ll have to issue in rental automobile prices in case you 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 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 selections impression your ultimate Iceland journey price range – be it rental vehicles or personal rooms. In this information, we’ll give you all the common journey price elements so you may construct an thought of what price range you’ll want as a person visiting Iceland. We’ll cowl every part, 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 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 when you find yourself flying to and from Europe. Compared to flying to different locations, particularly Australasia, Iceland just isn’t costly to achieve airfare-wise.

Even then, it can save you cash when visiting Iceland by benefiting from low season flights and utilizing air miles. Look into airline reward applications like British Airways, Qantas, and Delta SkyMiles. Airline loyalty applications get a nasty rep for not truly being worthwhile. Still, selecting properly and actively saving factors could be a useful gizmo to get low cost flights. Always evaluate flight costs by utilizing web sites and instruments like Skyscanner – at all times utilizing a personal browser, after all, since these pesky cookies hike up costs on flights you view.

How versatile are you together with your Iceland trip as nicely? It is price noting that in case you 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 in case you’d like a mini journey to Iceland. This is an excellent means of compacting in an Iceland trip at a less expensive value than direct flights normally price. If you’re already making this journey, realizing about this little tip is useful. Why not benefit from a stopover you’ll already be making and benefit from Icelandair’s sometimes cheaper flights? Just image it; you would 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 additional steps to cut 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 in case you 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, after all, 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 software equal.

Budget: $500 for return flights or beneath $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 essentially the most fundamental of lodge rooms are extraordinarily costly, much more so when mid-range accommodations and – God forbid – luxurious accommodations. It can also be 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 develop into quick on choices. Compare costs when reserving lodging in Iceland, but in addition ensure you don’t stall an excessive amount of and guide far sufficient in advance to keep away from lacking out on the perfect costs.

If you act rapidly and guide in advance, the common value for a price range 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. If you don’t guide in advance, these costs rise as you’re left to entrance payments to remain in extra luxurious accommodations and trip leases than you normally would select. It additionally pays to think about location, as sure areas may have dearer lodge rooms, like on the Ring Road and Golden Circle.

Typical costs common $150 per evening, however keep in mind that that is throughout throughout Iceland as a basic 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 could be fast-thinking to get the perfect offers.

These are a couple of examples of common lodging prices in completely different Iceland accommodations:

Hofn Cottages

Hofn Cottages are as budget-friendly as lodging will get in Iceland. These fundamental cabins price simply $70 per evening; you get your personal patio and cooking services. 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 evening, however you may see why. It has a stylish design and an onsite wellness heart and gymnasium. It is a shiny model of a mid-range keep in the capital, and it has a terrific location to take pleasure in central Reykjavik.

Hotel Ranga

This luxurious lodge prices upwards of $500 for a median room. It is an excellent 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 evening for the common charge for an inexpensive lodge.

Transportation

Regarding transport in Iceland, you could understand one main factor – transport barely exists outdoors the realm of rental vehicles. Tourists fly into Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport, situated simply outdoors of Reykjavik’s capital; from there, you may manage a shuttle service into the town heart. Reykjavik itself is admittedly 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 if you’re venturing out of Reykjavik or the principle settlement areas.

If you keep in Reykjavik and don’t hire a automobile, you may manage tour experiences to take you to the principle vacationer points of interest. For occasion, you will 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, mountaineering 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, nearly like paying for mini holidays in your precise vacation. If you don’t need to hire a automobile, you may nonetheless take pleasure in Iceland, however be ready to splurge a bit on reserving personal tour day journeys. It will rocket the whole price of the common Iceland price range.

The finest technique to get out of Reykjavik and see Iceland is to guide a rental automobile. If you’re questioning ‘how much does it cost to rent a car,’ it is determined by which automobile rental corporations you have a look at, what season you go to, and whether or not you need a camper van or not. The least expensive choice is a automobile, for which you should buy a tent and camp or guide low cost accommodations.

Or you may spend extra upfront on a camper van and have the entire street journey expertise, saving cash on lodging. With rental choices, you would embark on the traditional week street journey alongside the South Coast and full the traditional Ring Road street journey. It is essentially 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 automobile, or roughly $870 on transfers for day journeys and airport journeys.

Food

Food is one other important expense in terms of visiting Iceland. When calculating a visit to Iceland price, you will need to 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 attempting 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 increased costs than others. You must also have an ISK to USD calculator prepared, because the conversion is a bit whacky. Average 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 rooster fillets

It can also be price mentioning that Iceland is legendary for its sizzling canine. A normal 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 some of the conventional, budget-friendly Icelandic dishes.

They date again to the Viking period and are referred to as ‘bjuga’ sausages. Bought at little road stands, these sizzling canine price as little as $2.50 – an actual discount. This enjoyable little tip may be extra aimed toward novelty than real cash saving, however the spirit and total that means are spot on. Avoid sitting down usually to eat to economize, and keep in mind that native specialties are your finest pal.

Remember that if you wish to take pleasure in grocery retailer meals in Iceland, you will need to have cooking services. And that is the place the lodging crossover comes in. You ought to guide lodging with personal kitchen services in an condo or a shared kitchen in a hostel or homestay surroundings.

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, 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 in case you eat out a few instances and have a kitchen in your lodging. Alternatively, your meals price range can be nearer to $ 1,000 per week in case you count on to eat out every 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 in case you don’t rent a automobile and as an alternative depend on guided day journeys. These guided excursions can attain costs of over $300, and in case you 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 price, however on the similar 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?

One technique to make this cheaper is to hire a automobile. Specific day journeys, particularly ones to see pure magnificence spots or spot the northern lights, are simply replicated without spending a dime aside from petrol prices in case you hire a automobile. By paying a single upfront payment for a automobile rental, you may choose fascinating excursions and full them independently – just like the Golden Circle, Ring Road, and issues like the perfect 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 automobile. Even northern lights searching may be performed 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 as to exit it alone, less expensive.

Alcohol costs can get actually costly in Iceland, so we recommend 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 evening out may be budget-friendly in Reykjavik (when in Rome, proper?), stick to simply the odd evening out if doable.

It is price including that clothes is an extra price when having fun with day journeys and actions in Iceland. You will possible want to take a position in a winter wardrobe with some merino additions; thermal garments are essential 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 may be heat. And in case you aren’t heat, how will you take pleasure in your expertise? Make essentially the most of your cash by investing neatly in appropriate clothes in your actions beforehand.

So, how a lot must you price range for excursions and actions in Iceland? And what must you price range for the extra price of buying appropriate clothes for every tour beforehand? These are our budgeting stats for per week in Iceland with no automobile 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 footwear. $200 for a few nights out in Reykjavik.

Total: $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 gas. $200 for appropriate clothes, together with two Merino high and backside base layers and footwear. $200 for a few nights out in Reykjavik.

Total: $900

Budget: Without 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.

Overall Trip Cost

So, in case you’ve been frantically attempting so as to add issues up, don’t fear; we’ve obtained you. This 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 hire a automobile, go to in off or shoulder seasons, and guide lodging with cooking services. This is exactly how a lot it is best to price range to go to this stunning nation.

Airfare

Airfare prices roughly $500 for a return journey to Iceland while 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, it is best to price range $150 per evening for a median however cheap-ish lodge someplace fairly well-located. If you’re prepared to compromise on location, you may choose up cheaper lodging for round $70 per evening. Or, if you need luxurious lodging, be ready to pay as much as $500 per evening. With all lodging varieties, guide early to safe the perfect charges.

Transportation

Figuring out a transport price range is a troublesome one. If you get a rental automobile, it is best to price range $350 for renting the automobile upfront for per week and roughly $100 on gas. If you don’t hire a automobile, 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 points of interest. You must also add airport transfers at over $70 for return tickets on the shuttle bus. For per week in Iceland, price range $450 for transportation in case you rent a automobile and $870 for transportation in case you depend on shuttles.

Food

The message is straightforward concerning meals: discover lodging with a kitchen to benefit from 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 in case you plan on consuming out every single day for many if not all, meals.

Tours and Activities

Tours and actions are your principal price when visiting Iceland, particularly in case you don’t hire a automobile. Without a automobile, count on to pay round $1,600 over per week, whereas with a automobile, 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 economize 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 in case you make the most of our high 10 recommendations on lowering your Iceland journey price and saving your invaluable cash.

Anything from automobile 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 suggestions down. Using these may knock a whole bunch, 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 economize. Iceland will get tremendous busy over winter when vacationers flock to take pleasure in 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 lowered excursions and day journeys, plus discover cheaper lodge charges due to decrease reserving competitors.

Of course, if you’re versatile together with your Iceland actions, visiting in the low season is even higher. June till October is ideal for decrease automobile rental charges, cheaper accommodations, and tour offers. Remember that this era has sure tour and attraction closures, and also you possible will miss the northern lights. This season can also 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 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 almost $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 in case you’ve discovered lodging with a kitchen, so this can be a catch-22. We’d counsel discovering a communal kitchen or condo lodge to profit from this money-saving method. Trust us, it will likely be price it.

3. Rent a Car

This may sound dearer at first, however renting a automobile is likely one of the finest methods to discover Iceland on a price range – particularly if you wish to sightsee loads. This is as a result of excursions are some of the costly in a median Iceland journey price. Companies cost extortionate quantities (we’re speaking a whole bunch of {dollars}) for easy issues like transfers. If you hire a automobile, sure, it will likely be an preliminary upfront funding, however you’ll save a whole bunch if you buy greater than 2-3 day journeys. Being capable of drive your self is likely one of the finest methods to chop journey prices in Iceland. Check charges right here!

4. Take Advantage of Free Attractions

If you hire 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 attractive 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 fully free issues to do.

5. Try Camping

Camping is likely one of the finest 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 this can be a higher thought in summer season (learn: don’t try in chilly climate). Still, in case you 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 some of the easy 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 be capable of use the bus community to entry particular locations at particular instances, so that you’ll should be joyful to make use of a fairly inflexible journey type if you’ll benefit from this journey hack. However, if you’re joyful to paint between the traces to save lots of your self some money, bus passes are nicely price trying into. You pay a single flat charge 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 automobile leases. And in case you don’t have a driving license, it’s the least expensive various.

7. Buy Alcohol From Duty-Free Shops

Another enormous tip is to purchase alcohol from duty-free outlets. If you may choose up alcohol from the airport while 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 need a elaborate tipple. With that mentioned, 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, it is best 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 economize on visiting Iceland, it is best to take into account 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; severely, Iceland has a number of the purest faucet water in the world. Bottled water is a massively pointless expense, so carry a refillable water bottle and lower the {dollars} you spend in your journey to Iceland. Of course, lowering plastics additionally helps the surroundings – an enormous win-win state of affairs. If you fancy going one step additional, particularly in case you 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 apart from this journey type whereas attempting to cut back your Iceland journey price. The extra you guide in advance, the extra choices you’ll have concerning 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 anxious 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 price may depend upon 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 elements – lodging, meals, transport, airfare, and excursions – you’ll have a ready-made price range for visiting Iceland. And in case you 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 most costly locations?

Are you searching for extra Iceland inspiration? Check out 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 overlook to discover Reykjavik, even in case you head off on a week-long street journey round the remainder of Iceland.