Traveling around Iceland can get a bit pricy. In this post I'll share how we minimized our expenses during our trip.

1. Book your flight in advance

Flight ticket to Iceland is expensive so make sure to book your flight in advance. Tourist peak season in Iceland starts on August till October. We decided to go on June so at least the weather is better and there's not a lot of tourists coming in yet.

2. Travel with a group

It's always better to travel with your friends or a group. Not only will it make the trip more fun, you can also share the expenses with your group. Expenses like car gasoline, groceries and hotels. It will also make your trip safer since you can look out for each other or take turn driving the car.

I didn't met the group I travelled with until I got to Iceland. We all met online by posting an event in the website https://www.couchsurfing.com/.

3. Don't stay in a hotel

We decided to just bring our tents and camp around Iceland's ring road during our trip and It's one of the best decision we've made. One morning you'll be waking up with a view of a beautiful mountain the next morning you'll be waking up with a view of an amazing falls. So don't be afraid to camp around Iceland, it's safe and you'll experience camping which is unique to Iceland. The paid camp sites all have hot showers and a kitchen. You can also camp anywhere you want in Iceland as long as its not in a private property. If you're a bit budget conscious, this might be a good option for you since hotels in Iceland are very expensive. 

 

4. Bring a portable cooker

There are not a lot of restaurants outside of the city and if there is, It can get a bit pricy. We brought a cooker with us and take a stop every now and then to cook our food. We buy our groceries at Bónus, Krónan and Víðir. This might sound frugal but considering there's nothing special with the taste of food in Iceland, Its a better option to cook our own food.

 

5. Rent a car

It will be difficult and expensive to travel around Iceland without a car. Taxi's are uncommon outside the city. Since time is money, it will be better to rent a car. You'll be able to cover more ground and maximize your trip.  When renting a car choose the diesel option. Diesel is cheaper compared to unleaded gasoline. You can rent your car from https://www.sixt.com/.

Most of the sights and attractions are free in Iceland so most of our expenses are on food, gas and accommodation. Planning your route and being flexible on your trip can save you loads of money.

Hope this help. Have a fun trip!