Budget
Icelandon a budget.
The cheapest way into every must-do, what costs nothing, and where the money really goes.
The cheapest way into every must-do
From-prices per adult, set by the operators and checked every week, with the town the cheapest option starts in.
- €43
Go underground in a lava tubeSnæfellsbær - €82
Chase the northern lightsReykjavík - €88
Do the Golden Circle properlyReykjavík - €88
Ride an Icelandic horseVarmahlíð - €93
Go whale watchingHauganes - €95
Hike to a volcanoGrindavik - €96
Meet the puffinsHauganes - €110
Eat your way round ReykjavíkReykjavík - €118
Waterfalls and the black beachReykjavík - €130
Snæfellsnes in a dayReykjavík - €132
Hike on a glacierSkaftafell - €136
Snorkel between two continentsGolden Circle - €154
Hot baths in the northAkureyri - €162Soak in a geothermal lagoonReykjavík
- €190
Take a buggy across the lavaVik - €206
Icebergs at JökulsárlónReykjavík - €219
Snowmobile on a glacierReykjahlíð - €220
Walk inside a glacierVik - €220
Ride a super jeep into the highlandsVik - €674
See it all from a helicopterÖræfi
What costs nothing
Most of Iceland's big sights are free to walk to: the waterfalls on the South Coast, the black-sand beaches, Geysir's geothermal field, Gullfoss and Þingvellir. Some charge for parking.
Reykjavík is a walking city. The old harbour, the seafront and the view from the hill by Hallgrímskirkja cost nothing.
Where the money goes, and how to keep it
Eat from supermarkets. Restaurant meals are the big cost. Bónus and Krónan are the cheap chains; a picnic by a waterfall beats a café anyway.
Drink tap water. It's some of the best in the world. Don't buy bottled.
Soak in public pools. Every town has one, with hot tubs, for a fraction of a lagoon ticket.
Pick one or two big things. A day of free waterfalls plus one paid must-do goes further than three tours back to back.
Good to know
Is Iceland expensive?
Food, drink and beds are. Many of the best sights are free. Spend on one or two must-dos and keep the rest simple.
What is free to see in Iceland?
Most waterfalls, black-sand beaches, Geysir, Gullfoss and Þingvellir. Some charge for parking.
Is a tour cheaper than renting a car?
For one or two people doing a couple of day trips, often yes. For a group, or a longer trip, a car usually works out cheaper.
More guides
- Northern lights in IcelandWhen, where and how, and tonight's odds, live.
- Ice caves in IcelandWhich caves, which months, and what the tours really involve.
- Blue Lagoon alternativesNine other lagoons and hot springs, and where each one is.
- Iceland in winterDaylight by month, winter-only must-dos and the roads.
- Iceland under €100 a dayA must-do every day for less than €100, from real prices.
- Iceland in 24 hoursA stopover day from the airport and back.
- 48 hours in IcelandTwo days: the city, a lagoon and the Golden Circle.
- 72 hours in IcelandThree days: add the South Coast.