Iceland travel data
Prices in Iceland: what a beer, a coffee, fuel, a meal and a room cost
Checked by Nimrod Ron · Iceland Lead & Content Curator· Updated
Iceland is expensive for four things: hotels, restaurants, alcohol and the rental car. Groceries, fuel, the town pools and the sights, which are almost all free, cost about what they do in northern Europe. The tables give typical prices in Icelandic krónur and dollars, checked on 2026-10-21, and the per-night and per-day ranges the budget calculator uses, so you can see what a day actually costs before you book.
Key facts
- Beer in a bar
- 1,400 to 1,900 kr ($10.22 to $13.87) for 500 ml
- Coffee
- 650 to 800 kr ($4.74 to $5.84)
- Restaurant main
- 4,500 to 7,000 kr ($33 to $51)
- Petrol
- 310 to 340 kr per litre ($2.26 to $2.48)
- Town pool
- 1,100 to 1,500 kr ($8.03 to $10.95), the local alternative to the lagoons
- The sights
- Free: every waterfall, beach, crater and the glacier lagoon; some charge parking
- Checked
- 2026-10-21, at 137 kr to the dollar
Food and drink
Restaurant food is the expensive part; supermarket food is close to northern European prices.
| Item | ISK | USD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee (filter or americano) at a café | 650 to 800 kr | $4.74 to $5.84 | |
| Hot dog at a stand (Bæjarins Beztu) | 700 to 800 kr | $5.11 to $5.84 | |
| Soup of the day with bread | 2,200 to 2,900 kr | $16.06 to $21 | |
| Fish and chips at a harbour kiosk | 2,800 to 3,500 kr | $20 to $26 | |
| Pizza at a casual restaurant | 2,900 to 3,800 kr | $21 to $28 | |
| Main course at a mid-range restaurant | 4,500 to 7,000 kr | $33 to $51 | Lamb and fish; a burger is 3,000 to 3,800 |
| Three-course dinner for two with wine | 28,000 to 40,000 kr | $204 to $292 | |
| Beer (500 ml) in a bar | 1,400 to 1,900 kr | $10.22 to $13.87 | Happy hours 900 to 1,200, listed in the Appy Hour app |
| Glass of wine in a restaurant | 1,600 to 2,200 kr | $11.68 to $16.06 | |
| Beer (500 ml) at Vínbúðin, the state shop | 400 to 550 kr | $2.92 to $4.01 | |
| Bottle of wine at Vínbúðin | 2,500 to 4,000 kr | $18.25 to $29 | Duty-free on arrival is about half |
| Litre of milk at Bónus or Krónan | 200 to 250 kr | $1.46 to $1.82 | |
| Loaf of bread | 450 to 700 kr | $3.28 to $5.11 | |
| Skyr (500 g) | 350 to 450 kr | $2.55 to $3.28 | |
| Bottled water (500 ml) | 300 to 450 kr | $2.19 to $3.28 | Tap water is free and better |
Getting around
Fuel is the steady cost; the car itself depends on the season, see the ranges from the budget model below.
| Item | ISK | USD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (95), per litre | 310 to 340 kr | $2.26 to $2.48 | |
| Diesel, per litre | 300 to 330 kr | $2.19 to $2.41 | |
| Flybus or Airport Direct, airport to Reykjavík, one way | 4,500 to 5,500 kr | $33 to $40 | |
| Taxi, airport to Reykjavík | 20,000 to 24,000 kr | $146 to $175 | |
| Strætó city bus, single fare | 630 to 700 kr | $4.6 to $5.11 | |
| Reykjavík street parking, per hour, zone P1 | 600 to 700 kr | $4.38 to $5.11 | P2 to P4 are 200 to 400 |
| Parking at Þingvellir, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara or Jökulsárlón | 750 to 1,000 kr | $5.47 to $7.3 | |
| Vaðlaheiði tunnel toll (near Akureyri) | 2,000 to 2,200 kr | $14.6 to $16.06 | |
| Westman Islands ferry, foot passenger, one way | 2,000 to 2,400 kr | $14.6 to $17.52 | |
| Domestic flight Reykjavík to Akureyri, one way | 12,000 to 25,000 kr | $88 to $182 |
Pools, lagoons and admissions
The sights are free; the baths and museums are not.
| Item | ISK | USD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town swimming pool with hot tubs, adult | 1,100 to 1,500 kr | $8.03 to $10.95 | |
| Blue Lagoon, Comfort admission | 12,000 to 16,000 kr | $88 to $117 | Varies by date and time slot |
| Sky Lagoon, Pure pass | 10,000 to 13,000 kr | $73 to $95 | |
| Secret Lagoon at Flúðir | 4,000 to 4,800 kr | $29 to $35 | |
| Mývatn Nature Baths or Vök Baths | 6,500 to 8,500 kr | $47 to $62 | |
| Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, Jökulsárlón, Dettifoss | free | free | Free; some charge parking |
| National Museum or a Reykjavík museum | 2,500 to 3,500 kr | $18.25 to $26 | |
| Perlan (wonders of Iceland) | 5,000 to 7,000 kr | $36 to $51 | |
| The Lava Show, Vík or Reykjavík | 6,000 to 7,500 kr | $44 to $55 |
Everyday
The things that are not on any budget list and add up.
| Item | ISK | USD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIM or eSIM with 10 to 20 GB | 2,500 to 4,500 kr | $18.25 to $33 | |
| Laundry at a guesthouse or launderette, per load | 1,500 to 2,500 kr | $10.95 to $18.25 | |
| Icelandic wool sweater (lopapeysa), hand-knitted | 28,000 to 45,000 kr | $204 to $328 | |
| Rain shell from an Icelandic brand | 35,000 to 70,000 kr | $255 to $511 | Bring one; buying here is the expensive mistake |
| Campsite, per adult per night | 2,000 to 2,800 kr | $14.6 to $20 | |
| Camping Card (season, 2 adults, about 40 sites) | 26,000 to 30,000 kr | $190 to $219 |
What the budget model uses
The per-night, per-day and per-activity ranges behind the budget calculator and every cost figure on this site, in dollars, for a shoulder month. Hotels and cars rise 25 to 35 percent in June to August and fall about 20 percent in November to February.
| Cost | Range (USD) |
|---|---|
| Budget room, per night | $110 - $145 |
| Comfort hotel, per night | $200 - $260 |
| Luxury hotel, per night | $400 - $520 |
| Standard car, per day | $70 - $90 |
| 4x4, per day | $160 - $210 |
| Camper van, per day | $230 - $300 |
| Food, per person per day | $70 - $95 |
| Fuel, per car per day | $35 - $45 |
| Glacier hike | $115 - $150 |
| Ice cave | $165 - $205 |
| Whale watching | $85 - $110 |
| Hot springs (lagoon) | $60 - $90 |
| Horse riding | $90 - $120 |
| Snowmobile | $220 - $290 |
How these prices were gathered
- Item prices are typical Reykjavík and Ring Road prices checked by hand on 2026-10-21 from menus, pump boards, the supermarkets and the operators' sites, rounded, in krónur; dollars at 137 kr per dollar. The monthly freshness report flags this page when the check is 90 days old.
- The ranges in the last table are the budget calculator's own constants, so the calculator, the trip-cost page, the budget guide and this page always agree.
- Prices outside the capital are the same or a little higher for food and fuel, and lower for rooms outside the South Coast and Mývatn in summer.
Download the data (CSV) · free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.
Questions about prices in Iceland
How much is a beer in Iceland?
About 1,400 to 1,900 kr ($10.22 to $13.87) for a half litre in a bar, less at happy hour, and 400 to 550 kr at Vínbúðin, the state shop, which is the only place outside bars that sells anything over 2.25 percent. Duty-free on arrival is about half the shop price.
How much does a meal cost in Iceland?
A main course at a mid-range restaurant is 4,500 to 7,000 kr ($33 to $51); soup with bread 2,200 to 2,900 kr; a hot dog 700 to 800 kr. Dinner for two with wine is 28,000 to 40,000 kr. Cooking from Bónus or Krónan brings a day's food to about $25 to $35 per person.
How much is petrol in Iceland?
About 310 to 340 kr per litre ($2.26 to $2.48), diesel slightly less. The discount brands are Orkan, ÓB and Costco; a Ring Road loop of 1,330 km costs $200 to $250 of fuel in a small car. Most pumps are unattended and need a card with a PIN.
Is Iceland expensive?
For hotels, restaurants, alcohol and the car, yes: expect northern-European prices plus 20 to 40 percent. For groceries, fuel, pools and the sights, which are almost all free, no. A budget week for a couple costs about half of a comfort-hotel week for the same route; the budget guide has the model figures.
Do I need cash in Iceland?
No. Every shop, pump, café, parking meter, campsite and tour takes cards, including contactless and phone wallets, and many places no longer take cash at all. The one thing to carry is a card with a PIN for the unattended fuel pumps.
Read next: Iceland on a budget · Trip cost by month and travel style · How much does a week in Iceland cost?
Deeper reading on iceland-trip.com
Our sister site covers every place in depth: access, parking, seasons, what to expect. Written by the same team.
- Renting a car and driving in IcelandWhich car to rent, the insurance that matters, gravel and F-road rules, fuel, speed limits and the mistakes that cost visitors money.iceland-trip.com
- Hot springs and spasGeothermal lagoons, natural hot rivers and the local pools worth a stop.iceland-trip.com
- Sample routes around IcelandThe classic routes from a Golden Circle day to the full Ring Road, with what each one covers and how long it needs.iceland-trip.com
- Reykjavík and the capital regionThe city, its museums and lagoons, and the day trips that start from it.iceland-trip.com