๐ฐ Iceland Budget Travel Guide | Enjoy the Northern Lights and Beautiful Scenery for Less ๐ฎ๐ธโจ
Want to visit Iceland but worried about the high costs? Don’t worry! Here’s a budget-friendly Iceland travel guide to show you how to spend the least amount of money and visit the most attractions, with an average budget of RM4,000 – RM8,500 per person to experience the Northern Lights, hot springs, glaciers, waterfalls, and black sand beaches! ๐กโจ
๐ Best Time for Budget Travel to Iceland
โ
September-April (Winter Northern Lights Season) ๐ | Cheap flights and the chance to see the Northern Lights โ๏ธ
โ
May-August (Summer with long days) โ๏ธ | All natural attractions are open, ideal for camping ๐๏ธ
๐ก Money-Saving Tips:
- Winter flights are cheaper (avoid Christmas and New Year holidays)
- Off-season accommodation discounts (September-November, March-April)
- Renting a car is cheaper than booking a tour (carpooling is even more cost-effective)
โ๏ธ Budget Travel Options to Iceland
๐ซ Recommended Cheap Flights
- From Kuala Lumpur: RM3,000-RM4,500 (cheapest when transiting in Europe before flying to Iceland)
- Recommended Airlines: Turkish Airlines โ๏ธ, Singapore Airlines โ๏ธ, Finnair โ๏ธ
- How to Save Money?
- Book 3-6 months in advance, cheaper during off-peak months (March, October)
- Use Skyscanner/Google Flights to compare prices
๐ Transportation Options
๐ Public Buses (Most Budget-Friendly)
- Reykjavik City Center: One-way RM15-RM25
- Airport to City Center: RM120 (Flybus)
๐ Car Rental (Best Value)
- Small Car: RM250-350/day
- Carpool/Rent a Car: 4 people split the cost, RM50-RM100 per person/day
- How to Save Money?
- Choose manual transmission (cheaper by 10-20% compared to automatic)
- Carpool in an SUV (even cheaper per person)
๐๏ธ Free Hitchhiking (For the Brave and Budget-Conscious)
- Hitchhiking is legal in Iceland, and locals are very friendly ๐
- Recommended Routes: Golden Circle & South Coast are the easiest to hitchhike
๐จ Budget Accommodation Recommendations (RM200-RM600/night)
โ
Hostels & Guesthouses (Cheapest Option) ๐ KEX Hostel (RM200/bed)
๐ Bus Hostel (RM220/bed)
โ
Airbnb / Guesthouses (Best Value) ๐ก Reykjavik Downtown Guesthouse (RM450/room)
๐ก Icelandic Rural Cabins (RM500-600/night, sleeps 4 people)
โ
Camping (Most Budget-Friendly! RM100 or less) ๐๏ธ Camping Card (RM880, stays for 28 nights)
๐๏ธ Recommended Campsites: รingvellir National Park, Vik Black Sand Beach
๐ก Money-Saving Strategy:
- Stay at hostels with kitchens and cook your own meals to save money!
- Share a rural cabin with 4 people to reduce costs!
๐ก Must-See Budget-Friendly Attractions in Iceland (Free/Cheap Attractions)
๐ฅ Must-Visit Free Attractions
โ๏ธ Golden Circle (3 iconic attractions, all free)
โ๏ธ Geysir Hot Springs ๐ | Erupts every few minutes
โ๏ธ Gullfoss Waterfall ๐ | Stunning glacier waterfall
โ๏ธ รingvellir National Park ๐ | The meeting point of the European & North American tectonic plates
โ๏ธ South Coast Highlights (Free + Gorgeous)
โ๏ธ Seljalandsfoss Waterfall | Walk behind the waterfall
โ๏ธ Skogafoss Waterfall | Perfect for photos
โ๏ธ Vik Black Sand Beach | Filming location for the movie “Interstellar”
โ๏ธ Free Hot Springs (Save hundreds of RM compared to the Blue Lagoon!)
โ๏ธ Nauthรณlsvรญk Hot Springs in Reykjavik | Free!
โ๏ธ Reykjadalur Hot Springs | Hike for 2 hours to reach a free hot spring
๐ก Budget Northern Lights Viewing Guide (Free!)
๐ Best Time for Northern Lights Viewing: September-April
๐ Recommended Northern Lights Viewing Spots (All Free):
- Grรณtta Lighthouse (10-minute drive from Reykjavik)
- รingvellir National Park (Golden Circle, a prime Aurora spot)
- Vik Black Sand Beach (no light pollution, great for clear views)
๐ฐ How to Save Money?
- Don’t join Northern Lights tours (RM400+), use Aurora Forecast and drive/carpool to the spots yourself!
- Aurora Photography Tips: Use your phone’s night mode + tripod
๐ฝ๏ธ Budget Icelandic Food Recommendations (RM30-RM100 per person)
โ Buy Ingredients from the Supermarket and Cook (Most Cost-Effective)
- Bรณnus Supermarket ๐: Instant noodles RM10, Bread RM8, Milk RM5
- Cook a meal yourself โ RM15-RM30
โ
Cheap Restaurant Recommendations (RM30-RM100) ๐ฅช Bรฆjarins Beztu Pylsur Hot Dogs ๐ญ RM25 | Iceland’s cheapest & best hot dogs
๐ IKEA Restaurant ๐ RM30-RM50 | Affordable and large portions
๐ Noodle Station ๐ RM45 | Icelandic-style Thai noodles
๐ Devitoโs Pizza ๐ RM55 | Huge pizza portions
๐ฐ Budget Iceland Travel Costs (RM4,000 – RM8,500 per person)
| Expense Type | Budget (RM) | Money-Saving Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Flights (Kuala Lumpur – Iceland) | RM3,000 – RM4,500 | Book 3-6 months in advance |
| Accommodation (Hostels/Guesthouses/Camping) | RM200 – RM600/night | Share rooms or camp for cheaper rates |
| Transportation (Public Bus/Rent a Car) | RM50 – RM100/day | Carpool or rent a car for the best value |
| Attractions (Free + Budget Hot Springs) | RM0 – RM200 | Visit only free attractions |
| Food (Supermarket + Budget Restaurants) | RM30 – RM100/day | Cook your own meals or eat at budget-friendly spots |
| Total Budget (7 Days) | RM4,000 – RM8,500 | Enjoy Iceland on a budget |
๐ Conclusion: You Can Explore Iceland on Just RM4,000+!
โ Golden Circle & South Coast’s All-Free Attractions ๐๏ธ๐
โ Car Rental + Room Sharing for Maximum Savings ๐๐ก
โ Supermarket Meals + Affordable Local Eats ๐ฝ๏ธ๐
โ Free Northern Lights Viewing + Hot Springs ๐โจ๏ธ
๐ข Which Iceland attraction do you want to experience the most? Leave a comment to discuss! ๐ฅ
