💰 Iceland Budget Travel Guide | Enjoy the Northern Lights and Beautiful Scenery for Less 🇮🇸✨
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! 💡✨
📅 Best Time for Budget Travel to Iceland
✅ September-April (Winter Northern Lights Season) 🌌 | Cheap flights and the chance to see the Northern Lights ❄️
✅ May-August (Summer with long days) ☀️ | All natural attractions are open, ideal for camping 🏕️
💡 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)
✈️ Budget Travel Options to Iceland
🛫 Recommended Cheap Flights
- From Kuala Lumpur: RM3,000-RM4,500 (cheapest when transiting in Europe before flying to Iceland)
- Recommended Airlines: Turkish Airlines ✈️, Singapore Airlines ✈️, Finnair ✈️
- How to Save Money?
- Book 3-6 months in advance, cheaper during off-peak months (March, October)
- Use Skyscanner/Google Flights to compare prices
🚗 Transportation Options
🚍 Public Buses (Most Budget-Friendly)
- Reykjavik City Center: One-way RM15-RM25
- Airport to City Center: RM120 (Flybus)
🚗 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)
🏕️ Free Hitchhiking (For the Brave and Budget-Conscious)
- Hitchhiking is legal in Iceland, and locals are very friendly 🚘
- Recommended Routes: Golden Circle & South Coast are the easiest to hitchhike
🏨 Budget Accommodation Recommendations (RM200-RM600/night)
✅ Hostels & Guesthouses (Cheapest Option) 🏠 KEX Hostel (RM200/bed)
🏠 Bus Hostel (RM220/bed)
✅ Airbnb / Guesthouses (Best Value) 🏡 Reykjavik Downtown Guesthouse (RM450/room)
🏡 Icelandic Rural Cabins (RM500-600/night, sleeps 4 people)
✅ Camping (Most Budget-Friendly! RM100 or less) 🏕️ Camping Card (RM880, stays for 28 nights)
🏕️ Recommended Campsites: Þingvellir National Park, Vik Black Sand Beach
💡 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!
🎡 Must-See Budget-Friendly Attractions in Iceland (Free/Cheap Attractions)
🔥 Must-Visit Free Attractions
✔️ Golden Circle (3 iconic attractions, all free)
✔️ Geysir Hot Springs 🌋 | Erupts every few minutes
✔️ Gullfoss Waterfall 🌊 | Stunning glacier waterfall
✔️ Þingvellir National Park 🍃 | The meeting point of the European & North American tectonic plates
✔️ South Coast Highlights (Free + Gorgeous)
✔️ Seljalandsfoss Waterfall | Walk behind the waterfall
✔️ Skogafoss Waterfall | Perfect for photos
✔️ Vik Black Sand Beach | Filming location for the movie “Interstellar”
✔️ Free Hot Springs (Save hundreds of RM compared to the Blue Lagoon!)
✔️ Nauthólsvík Hot Springs in Reykjavik | Free!
✔️ Reykjadalur Hot Springs | Hike for 2 hours to reach a free hot spring
💡 Budget Northern Lights Viewing Guide (Free!)
🌌 Best Time for Northern Lights Viewing: September-April
🌍 Recommended Northern Lights Viewing Spots (All Free):
- Grótta Lighthouse (10-minute drive from Reykjavik)
- Þingvellir National Park (Golden Circle, a prime Aurora spot)
- Vik Black Sand Beach (no light pollution, great for clear views)
💰 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
🍽️ Budget Icelandic Food Recommendations (RM30-RM100 per person)
✅ Buy Ingredients from the Supermarket and Cook (Most Cost-Effective)
- Bónus Supermarket 🛒: Instant noodles RM10, Bread RM8, Milk RM5
- Cook a meal yourself ≈ RM15-RM30
✅ Cheap Restaurant Recommendations (RM30-RM100) 🥪 Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur Hot Dogs 🌭 RM25 | Iceland’s cheapest & best hot dogs
🍔 IKEA Restaurant 🍛 RM30-RM50 | Affordable and large portions
🍜 Noodle Station 🍜 RM45 | Icelandic-style Thai noodles
🍕 Devito’s Pizza 🍕 RM55 | Huge pizza portions
💰 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 |
🎉 Conclusion: You Can Explore Iceland on Just RM4,000+!
✔ Golden Circle & South Coast’s All-Free Attractions 🏔️🌊
✔ Car Rental + Room Sharing for Maximum Savings 🚗🏡
✔ Supermarket Meals + Affordable Local Eats 🍽️🍜
✔ Free Northern Lights Viewing + Hot Springs 🌌♨️
📢 Which Iceland attraction do you want to experience the most? Leave a comment to discuss! 🔥
