10 tips to save on your trip to Iceland

TIPS FOR TRAVEL CHEAP TO ICELAND

1. Take advantage of supermarket offers

Icelanders are very ecologically conscious so all supermarkets try to reduce waste by applying Great discounts on products nearing their expiration datecarThe most common discounted products are vegetables, bakery items, carnes and dairy products.

In the supermarkets Netto is very common that have this type of discounts and in The Kronan chain usually has a small section dedicated to these offers. There you can get real bargains, for example, we have bought packs of 6 apples in perfect condition for 99 isk when normally a single apple costs more.

El cheapest supermarket in the country is Bonus, I identified itcarIt's easier to find because its logo is a piggy bank and it's in most cities. The best thing about this chain is its private label products at very competitive prices, but they don't usually have discounts.

2. The best water in the world and it's free in restaurants

In few places will you have the opportunity to drink water as pure as in this country. The tap water is very good and cold. So much so that sometimes it is even difficult to find bottled water. Bring a reusable bottle from home and refill it at accommodations, campsites, or anywhere, it is very normal and no one will look at you strangely if you ask an establishment to refill it.

If you don't have a bottle this It's ours, we've been using it for years and we love it.

Please note that in some areas such as Myvatn Tap water may smell like sulfur because the hot water they use is geothermal. Whenever that happens let the water run for a while so that the remains of hot are removed and the cold begins to come out.

And I'm telling you, it's the same in restaurants because if you ask for water they give you tap water for free, whereas drinks are usually quite expensive. carAnd that's not even mentioning the alcohol, which is... exaggeratedly caro compared to other countries.

3. Cook your own food

One of the best ways to save and travel cheaply to Iceland is cook most meals, It will be infinitely cheaper than going to restaurants. And you don't miss much either, Icelandic gastronomy is not much.

If you travel by van it will be very easy, but if you go by car it will not be very complicated either because there are many guesthouse with the right to use the kitchen, check when making the reservation!

Another option is to bring a stove to cook.

Keep in mind that the cooking gas you will always have to buy it at destination, it is not difficult to find it in supermarkets or sports stores. In Iceland there are also some campsites that sell it.

Another good idea to save in Iceland is take a tupperware and thus leave the food ready the night before in the kitchen of the guesthouse and a porta-Snacks To take it on excursions, we both travel and at home or use a lot.

4. Visit free hot springs

Visiting hot springs like the well-known Blue Lagoon is one of the most famous activities to do in Iceland but costs more than €80. So if your budget is very tight and you want to save in Iceland you can visit one of the many free natural hot springs that are spread throughout the country.

The experiences are different, so you can go to free and paid. More than better! There are places that cost half the price of Blue Lagoonsuch as Vök Baths o GeoSea, and by buying the ticket online you also save a few extra euros.

5. Nature is free in Iceland

Many people are used to the fact that to visit which natural attractions you need an organized paid tour that includes entrance fees to the Natural Parks and where a guide takes you from point to point. But this is not necessary in Iceland, Most of the tourist places are completely free and it is super easy to get there.

It is only essential to go with a tour for activities such as walking through a glacier, go to the highlands if you don't have a 4×4 or obviously, go whale watching by boat.

By law in Iceland, I don't know you can charge for visiting natural attractions, but you can for the use of parking. Something that this last year has been getting out of hand. The parking lots in most tourist places have become paid and They cost between €6-€10/vehicle regardless of how long you are there.

In some places, if you look closely, there are alternatives to parking a little more than 5 minutes away on foot and save parking, but unfortunately in many others there is no possibility.

6. Book in advance, the most important thing to save in Iceland

Both for flights, vehicle and accommodation I recommend you make reservations as far in advance as possible (camping is not necessary).

This is one of the best tips I can give you to save money in Iceland, which is now a country in full tourist swing and as you already know it is not a cheap country, so well-priced accommodation or the most basic vans They sell out months before for summer to arrive.

We always use Booking for our reservations

7. Don't overdo shipping food

embarkcar Packing a suitcase full of food to save on Icelandic groceries is a pretty popular trick among those who want to travel cheaply to Iceland.

This idea It can be good if adding baggage to your flight isn't too much of a hassle. caro Or if you can't live without a large number of certain products that are hard to find or very expensive. carI eat things like sausage or cheese, for example.

The problem is that adding luggage to flights to Iceland is usually very expensive. caror (€70-€80 minimum) so come carLearned from home can not to compensate for the shipping costcar.

You can enter the website of Net Let's look at prices of some products to get an idea.

Many products aren't much more than that. carThose that are in Spain, especially those of plant origin. Canned goods are very economical, pasta, rice, frozen vegetables…

Note that raw meat products are prohibited, such as ham. Although they rarely check it and we don't know of anyone who has had it seized, there is this small risk.

8. Travel in shoulder season

Travel in the months of April, May, September and October They are a very good option to greatly reduce expenses. As he Vehicle rental and accommodation have much lower prices Compared to the summer months, even in the campsites the price difference is notable. 

Traveling to Iceland in April, May, September or October is a very good option

Furthermore, during these months the weather is not as extreme as in winter, there are fewer tourists at the most famous sites, the carThe reteras are usually in good condition and you will have the opportunity to see Aurora borealis without giving up too many hours of light as happens in the middle of winter months. 

The only drawback is that for van trips you will have to pay more attention when planning where you will sleep because in April and October many campsites are closed.

9. Always choose crowns for card payments

In Iceland, practically no one uses cash, you see very old people paying from their iPhone. The use of credit cards is so widespread that You will never have problems paying with your card or mobile, no matter how small the amount or remote the store. 

If you still don't have it, before coming to Iceland I recommend you order a card without fees like Revolut. This way you will avoid commissions from your bank and/or bad exchange rates.

ᐈᐈ You may be interested in reading… Best travel cards abroad and not pay commissions (Updated 2026) ✅

If you come with your normal card, as long as the card machine asks if you want to pay in the local currency (Icelandic krona, abbreviated as isk) or with the currency of your account. Choose always the local currency, the currency exchange applied is better.  

This advice applies to any country in the world, but even more so in Iceland because in addition to the fact that the exchange rate is very bad, the Icelandic bank to which the dataphone belongs charges a commission of up to several euros for making the conversion.

Always choose crowns in your payments can mean big savings at the end of your trip, but the best option is to get a card like Revolut or N26 to avoid these situations.

About Us we always carried both cards in case a failure or we lose it. In this link you can order N26.

10. Save in Iceland by sharing expenses

Uno One of the biggest expenses is vehicle rental and gasolineDuring peak season, car, camper or motor rentalcarAvana is ridiculously carIceland consistently ranks among the top countries where filling up the tank costs the most.

Therefore, taking a trip alone or even as a couple will cost you considerably more. caror if you manage to meet friends to share expenses

10+1. Don't save on your insurance

In this article We explain in detail why in our opinion It is highly recommended to travel to Iceland with travel insurance. And we also tell you differentiates them from the European Health Card, What this covers and what it does not cover.

Reading it you will see that for less than €3 a day you are covered from many setbacks. In our opinion, for that price it is better to be safe.

I hope these 10 cheap travel tips help you save in Iceland. If you want to read more about Iceland here you can access all the articles or see our featured stories instagram.

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