One of the biggest questions I get from people is, ” How can you afford to travel so much.” Well, one of the main reasons is the destinations of my choice aren’t costly places (e.g., Balkans, Caucasus, Colombia). Aside from a few countries like the Netherlands or Finland, where I have many friends, I choose relatively affordable destinations. Well, this fall has been a bit of an exception. I made a trip to the Northeastern United States and Quebec and had a three-day stopover in Iceland on my way back.
I had to relearn a lot of budget travel hacks for Iceland. My travel buddy and I managed to do pretty well for ourselves cost-wise, so I’m going to break some of it down on how.
Skip the alcohol
One big lesson I have gathered over the years is alcohol outside of CEE is expensive! Iceland is no exception. A simple watery beer was over ten bucks. While I no longer abstain from alcohol as I did during the Covid lockdown, some places aren’t worth indulging in too much. More people burn a hole in their wallets by drinking on their travels. I get it, especially for many U.S. travelers, as many do not have the time freelancers and Europeans have. They want to make the most of their time. That’s understandable. If you must, pay to check a bag and bring it with you if you are on a budget.
But there is so much to do in Iceland; it’s hard to find the time to sit around and drink.
Pool in with some people
Usually, I prefer traveling alone or with only one travel buddy. I go on some weekend trips with friends from time to time. I used to go in with a group in a shared place, but we all did our thing and did whatever activities we wanted together, but Iceland is a great place to go with a small group of friends. One of my oldest and best friends ( whose wedding I attended in the states) happened to be on her honeymoon, so my travel companion and I joined forces with them and rented a car for the time I was there. We drove around for a few days and saved a lot of money.
Renting a car in Iceland isn’t any more expensive than in the U.S. or Western Europe. It was not even 50 dollars a day. The buses that take you from Keflavik airport to Reykavik are already between 35-50 bucks for a round trip. The gas is expensive, but even that divided by four is less than paying to join some group with a bunch of other people; you are also spared from the loud Americans and granola Germans, at least on the bus, and you can make your route. I rarely rent cars, but I highly recommend doing this in Iceland. It makes it much more manageable.
Lunch is the most important meal of the day.
Like many other destinations, the lunch prices are much more affordable. There are several Thai places in Reykavik where you can have a decent lunch special for about 12/13 euros which isn’t much more than in North America and Europe. Interestingly, Thais make up the second-largest group of foreigners after Polish people.
If you want to try the local cuisine, there is a place called Reykavik street food that offers Icelandic staples without the frills. I had a bowl of lobster soup for 12 Euros which was my splurge item. In addition to specials at restaurants, you can also buy some staples and quick things to make at the grocery stores in Iceland. Although, remember to keep it simple, as it can add up.
Skip the Blue Lagoon
Don’t even bother with it! It costs around 80 bucks, and it is full of tour buses. It doesn’t even sound that pleasant. Also, many people are unaware that there is a part you can visit without going in. We stopped by on our way to the airport. There is a 500-meter area where you can feel free to walk around. Honestly, if I were going to pay a premium for a lagoon, I would have chosen the Sky Lagoon. It looks much like a much better experience. My friends, on their honeymoon, went later on and recommended it highly. It’s also child-free, so a lot more peaceful.
I enjoyed the Secret Lagoon; albeit not much of a secret, it’s close to the “Golden Circle destination.” It’s popular but much more affordable and has a healthy mix of locals and tourists.
Many cities and towns have public hot springs and baths. You can pay eight bucks to use them and stay the whole day if you like. They are not a spectacle like the famous lagoons; they look like regular spas in Central Europe but without some frills. You can dip in several hot pots, swim in the heated pool, and use the sauna. These places give you an insight into the local culture as well. Iceland might be an expensive country, but they set aside some beautiful affordable things for public enjoyment. I wish more countries would follow suit on this. Some of Germany, Central Europe, and Scandinavia have been close to implementing these things, but quite a few other places should start adopting this as well.
Hospitality networks
I didn’t use this in Iceland, as I had my travel buddy ( No, I didn’t crash with the honeymooners!) so getting a room for two wasn’t that expensive. We also didn’t have time to send requests. I’ve used Couchsurfing for lots of my travels in the past. I’ve gotten experiences I would not have been able to have if it wasn’t for Couchsurfing. I have a lot of friends all over to where I don’t need it as much, and often, if I am working remotely or very busy, I stay in a hostel or something affordable.
The one thing to always remember is not to use the host like a free hotel. It’s essential always to be safe and pick verified members. Lately, many people are frustrated with Couchsurfing due to the questionable administration and the fact there is a paywall. I didn’t get into this because the yearly price is less than two beers in a pub in Amsterdam or Paris. But if you disagree with me, there are other ones, such as Bewelcome, Trustroots, and Warmshowers. There is also a” Host a Sister” group on Facebook for female travelers.
So these are the key things that I had in mind for Iceland. However, a lot of this is applicable in other expensive places. I’m sure I am missing some things. If you have some input on ways you like to save money while traveling, let me know, and leave it down!
Beautiful pictures and great advice.