Iceland On A Budget: Fifteen Ways To Salvage Coin Inward 2019

Updated: 12/20/18 | Dec 20th, 2018
It’s supposedly i of the to the lowest degree budget-friendly countries inwards the footing — which made visiting fifty-fifty to a greater extent than appealing to me. I e'er sentiment expensive countries every bit a challenge.
Figuring out how to see an expensive dry reason on the inexpensive is similar solving a puzzle to me in addition to I relished the challenge of finding out if visiting Republic of Iceland on a budget was possible.
And, later multiple visits to the country, I tin state y'all that traveling to Republic of Iceland can live done on a budget. It’s difficult but non impossible to do.
Is Republic of Iceland expensive? Sure. The dry reason is small, has a brusk growing season, doesn’t receive got a lot of crops, in addition to has to import a lot of things it needs.
But, I’ve e'er constitute that the to a greater extent than expensive a identify to alive is, the to a greater extent than the locals go at finding ways to salve coin in addition to rhythm out the system. This holds truthful inwards every expensive dry reason inwards the footing exterior of taxation shelter countries similar Monaco, Bermuda, or the Seychelles! Those places are but hopelessly expensive.
But, anyways, dorsum to Iceland…
Can Republic of Iceland go live expensive? Yes.
Can y'all rhythm out the organization in addition to see the dry reason on a budget? FOR SURE!
You but necessitate to live mindful of your spending.
How Much I Spent During My Last Visit to Iceland
While I was there, I spent an average of $54 USD per twenty-four hr menstruum (and I could receive got done it for less). Most of my coin went to nutrient in addition to accommodation. Here’s a breakdown of my expenses (rounded to the nearest whole dollar) from my final see which lasted unopen to x days:
- Food: $200 USD
- Accommodations: $180 USD
- Alcohol: $80 USD
- Transportation: $95 USD
- Activities: $39 USD
At $54 USD a day, I don’t experience similar I missed out on anything. Sure, I wasn’t eating fancy meals at restaurants (though I did swallow out a brace of times) in addition to I sure couldn’t pay for activities such every bit whale watching, guided glacier walks, or helicopter rides. And, piece those would receive got been fun to do, I constitute plenty gratis activities to fill upwards my time.
Suggest Budgets for Iceland
How much does it cost to go Iceland? Well, non every bit much every bit y'all holler upwards every bit y'all tin see. On the depression end, y'all could acquire past times on 6,500–8,000 ISK ($60–$75 USD) a day. That budget includes using local transportation, staying inwards an Airbnb, a hostel, amongst Couchsurfers, or camping; taking express tours; cooking most of your nutrient (restaurant meals are actually expensive); in addition to limiting your drinking.
For around 10,000 ISK ($94 USD) per day, y'all could swallow out, drinkable more, in addition to receive got to a greater extent than organized tours in addition to paid activities. At 17,500 ISK ($163 USD) a day, y'all could remain inwards a budget hotel in addition to swallow out for the bulk of your meals. At 25,000 ISK ($234 USD) a twenty-four hr menstruum or more, y'all tin produce whatever y'all want!
Extreme budget travelers who computer program on hitchhiking, cooking all their meals, Couchsurfing, or camping ground amongst their ain gear tin acquire away amongst spending around 4,300–5,400 ISK ($40–$50 USD) per day.
How to Save Money inwards Iceland: fifteen Hacks to Help You
There are many things inwards Republic of Iceland that volition swallow into your budget and, inwards the dry reason of $2.50 USD bottles of water, it’s tardily to unconsciously pass money. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 beer here, H2O there, a snack at that spot tin add together upwards quickly, in addition to all of a abrupt you’ll detect y'all spent an unplanned $100 USD. You receive got to go to salve coin hither in addition to live witting of where your coin is going. Keep rails of every penny! On my starting fourth dimension trip, I got tea but almost every twenty-four hr menstruum (I dearest tea) but, at $3.50 USD a pop, it was starting to add together upwards in addition to thence I had to stop.
However, Republic of Iceland is a identify total of FREE natural beauty in addition to wonder in addition to at that spot are many ways to salve coin inwards Iceland. Here are all ways to go Republic of Iceland on a budget, lower your costs, avoid my spending mistakes, in addition to receive got extra coin for your dream lead chances excursion:
1. Hitchhike — Republic of Iceland is i of the easiest in addition to safest countries inwards the footing for hitchhikers. You tin detect rides throughout the country. It’s peculiarly tardily inwards the southern purpose of Iceland. Though harder, it’s also non impossible to detect a ride inwards the off-season or in the sparsely populated north. I hitchhiked inwards the Westfjords in addition to it oftentimes took me an hr or to a greater extent than to detect a ride. However, inwards the south, you’ll rarely expression to a greater extent than than 15-20 minutes.
One way to detect rides is enquire around inwards hostels — people are unremarkably driving the principal telephone route (M1) that circles the country, in addition to at that spot are solely 2 ways to become on that!
HitchWiki has a lot of data on hitchhiking inwards Iceland.
2. Bring a H2O bottle — The H2O inwards Republic of Iceland is incredibly clean in addition to drinkable. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 plastic bottle of H2O costs almost $3 USD, in addition to thence select a metallic H2O bottle amongst y'all in addition to refill from the tap. It volition salve y'all a lot of coin in addition to assist the environment. There’s no argue to purchase H2O here.
3. Camp — Camping is available everywhere inwards Iceland. You tin army camp inwards designated campgrounds for almost $14 USD per nighttime in addition to some hostels let y'all to position upwards tents too. Camping is significantly cheaper than hostels (see the side past times side brace of tips). You’ll necessitate to receive got your ain gear in addition to sleeping bag. Moreover, if y'all actually desire to salve coin on accommodation inwards Iceland, y'all tin also wild army camp in addition to non pay whatever fees (i.e., but slumber anywhere y'all want!). It’s legal every bit long every bit there’s no sign posted to the contrary, it’s non somebody dry reason (though some farmers mightiness give y'all permission), in addition to it’s non inwards a protected wild fauna area. I met a Castilian guy who did this for most of his trip.
4. Become a Hosteling International member — Most hostels inwards Republic of Iceland (especially exterior Reykj4vik) are purpose of the Hosteling International group, which agency they give discounted rates to members. Hostel dorms cost $27-33 USD per night, in addition to HI members acquire $5 USD off, in addition to thence if y'all computer program on staying inwards hostels, the $28 USD annual membership volition pay for itself inwards no time. You tin acquire a membership at whatever hostel or online earlier y'all go.
5. Bring your ain sheets or sleeping bag — As amongst other Scandinavian countries (yes, I’m putting Republic of Iceland inwards that category), many hostels inwards Republic of Iceland accuse y'all a fee for bed sheets if y'all don’t receive got your ain or a sleeping handbag (pillows are free!). Linen fees get down at $10 USD; however, live sure to query your hostel thoroughly every bit some volition non let y'all to select your ain sheets/sleeping bag. Note: If y'all computer program on staying inwards the same hostel for a few days, you’re solely charged the linen fee once.
Side note: I detect this policy stupid. It’s meant to cut back the spread of bedbugs, but my ain sheets tin live carrying bedbugs from hostel to hostel. I don’t acquire it! It would live much amend if hostels provided sheets that they washed, peculiarly inwards Republic of Iceland where they don’t receive got a H2O shortage!
6. Don’t drinkable that much – Due to high taxes, it’s real expensive to drinkable inwards Iceland. Here are some average alcohol prices:
- Beer: $10 USD (happy hour: $6 USD)
- Wine: $12 USD
- Bottle of vino at the store: $20 USD
- Bottle of vino at a restaurant: $30+ USD
- Shots: $8 USD
Don’t drinkable in addition to your budget volition live fine! OK, perchance in i trial inwards Reykj4vik since its nightlife is footing famous. But other than that, don’t. You’ll salve a parcel in addition to experience a lot better. No i wants to hike a volcano amongst a hangover. Most Icelanders don’t become out until past times midnight because they desire to acquire sauced at domicile on the inexpensive first. (All my Icelandic friends identify duty-free orders amongst me when I come upwards visit.)
And, if y'all desire to drink, live sure to purchase tons at the duty-free inwards the airdrome in addition to bear amongst you. It volition salve 30% off the cost of buying alcohol inwards the country.
7. Cook your ain food — I constitute nutrient to live the most expensive affair inwards Iceland. Eating out, fifty-fifty on the cheap, costs almost $15 USD or to a greater extent than per meal. Something from a sit-down eating seat amongst service tin cost $25 USD or more!!! It’s tardily for your nutrient budget to become through the roof at those prices.
Go grocery shopping. Buy everything y'all necessitate — such every bit eggs, cereal, pre-made sandwiches, in addition to pasta — in addition to cook. All hostels, guesthouses, in addition to campsites receive got kitchens. My grocery mouth for almost iii days of nutrient was the same cost every bit i repast at a restaurant. Make sure to store at BONUS nutrient stores every bit they receive got the cheapest prices.
8. Bring your ain tea in addition to coffee – Tea, coffee, or hot chocolate tin easily cost 400–700 ISK (even regular drip java or a teabag y'all position into hot H2O yourself). If y'all select your own, y'all tin bound the times y'all receive got to purchase it in addition to salve yourself a handful of krónur.
9. Eat the hotdogs — If y'all are going to swallow out, swallow at the sandwich in addition to hot domestic dog stalls y'all detect through the cities. They offering the cheapest (but non healthiest) nutrient inwards the country. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hot domestic dog costs almost $3.50 USD in addition to a regular sandwich volition run y'all almost $13 USD (about $17 USD amongst a drink). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pocket-size sandwich is almost $8.50 USD. Icelanders receive got an strange obsession amongst hot dogs, in addition to thence every bit long every bit the metropolis has to a greater extent than than i road, you’ll detect a hot domestic dog stall around.
10. Get a omnibus pass — During the summertime months, y'all tin purchase a countrywide omnibus overstep for $323 USD. If y'all don’t desire to hitchhike, this volition live your side past times side cheapest selection for getting around Republic of Iceland on a budget, peculiarly if y'all are traveling for a brace of weeks or more. During the wintertime months, many of the omnibus routes are closed in addition to this overstep isn’t offered. When that happens, y'all tin utilization the website listed below to detect cheaper rides or pay every bit y'all go.
11. Rent a car — If y'all are coming inwards the off months, staying for a calendar week or less, or don’t desire to hitchhike, I would rent a car. They cost betwixt $40-70 USD per twenty-four hr menstruum but y'all tin dissever the costs amongst traveling companions (or past times picking upwards travelers on the road!) in addition to you’ll acquire a lot to a greater extent than flexibility than if y'all receive got the bus. The best of Republic of Iceland isn’t constitute along its principal highway! SADcars offers the cheapest automobile rentals inwards the country.
If y'all rent a car, pick upwards hitchhikers along the way. They tin assist pay for gas in addition to lower your expenses. Moreover, y'all tin utilization the website Samferda to detect passengers. This website is real pop in addition to you’ll detect a lot of listings on it, peculiarly betwixt some of the big cities. (Note: You tin also utilization this website to detect rides. Even if y'all receive got to pay the driver, prices are almost 50% of the cost of the bus.)
12. Couchsurf — Iceland has a real active Couchsurfing community. I stayed amongst hosts inwards Reykj4vik in addition to Akureyri in addition to had someone else receive got me around the famous Golden Circle (the telephone of attractions close Reykj4vik). Getting involved amongst the community hither is a sure-fire way to salve money, acquire local insights, run into wonderful people, in addition to acquire a gratis identify to stay. I met a lot of people through the website who took me inwards in addition to showed me places I wouldn’t receive got constitute on my own. Even if y'all don’t utilization the website for accommodation, utilization the community aspect of it in addition to run into some locals. Icelanders are a welcoming people.
13. Find Free Hot Springs – While the Blue Lagoon may live the most pop hot spring, at that spot are lots of others around the dry reason that are gratis (or at the real least, less coin than the Blue Lagoon). Visit the website Hotpot Republic of Iceland (hotpoticeland.com) to detect the best hot springs all around the island! Some noteworthy hot springs are Reykjadalur, Selj4vallalaug, in addition to the underrated Djúpavogskörin.
14. Avoid taxis — The cities inwards Republic of Iceland are pocket-size in addition to thence there’s absolutely no necessitate to waste product coin on a taxi because y'all tin walk pretty much everywhere. The world shipping is also reliable in addition to much cheaper in addition to they run belatedly in addition to thence if it’s cold, y'all tin receive got the bus! Republic of Iceland is already expensive enough. Don’t acquire inwards worse!
15. Take a gratis walking tour – Free walking tours are a neat way to larn almost a novel city, its principal sites, in addition to acquire a feel of the civilization in addition to history of where y'all are. I receive got gratis walking tours wherever I got! If you’re going to live spending fourth dimension inwards Reykj4vik, live sure to banking firm jibe out i of the gratis walking tours inwards the city!

NEXT STEP —> GET ALL OF MY ICELAND TIPS AND ADVICE!
Want to computer program the perfect trip to Iceland? Check out my comprehensive guide to Republic of Iceland written for budget travelers similar yourself!
It cuts out the fluff constitute inwards other guides in addition to gets straight off to the practical data y'all necessitate to go in addition to salve coin inwards i of the most beautiful in addition to exciting destinations inwards the world.
- My favorite things to consider in addition to do
- Money-saving tips
- Budget advice
- Transportation advice
- My favorite non-touristy restaurants, markets, in addition to bars
- And much more!!
Book Your Trip to Iceland: Logistical Tips in addition to Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a inexpensive flying past times using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my 2 favorite search engines because they search websites in addition to airlines around the globe in addition to thence y'all e'er know no rock is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You tin bulk your hostel amongst Hostelworld. If y'all desire to remain elsewhere, utilization Booking.com every bit they consistently render the cheapest rates for guesthouses in addition to inexpensive hotels. I utilization them all the time. My favorite places to remain inwards Republic of Iceland are:
- Hlemmur Square (Reykj4vik) – Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 posh hotel amongst a neat bar in addition to traditional Icelandic communal dinners several times a week.
- Kex Hostel (Reykj4vik) – Has a café in addition to bar amongst an awesome happy hour, a comfy lounge, in addition to a heated patio.
- Akureyri Backpacker (Akureyri) – Located inwards the middle of the Old Town amongst a gratis sauna in addition to a neat restaurant.
- Vagnsstadir Hostel (Hornafjörður) – Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 great, placidity identify if y'all desire to explore glaciers in addition to consider the northern lights.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance volition protect y'all against illness, injury, theft, in addition to cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection inwards representative anything goes wrong. I never become on a trip without it every bit I’ve had to utilization it many times inwards the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for x years. My favorite companies that offering the best service in addition to value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Looking for the best companies to salve coin with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to utilization when y'all travel! I listing all the ones I utilization to salve coin when I go – in addition to I holler upwards volition assist y'all too!

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