You can feast your eyes on the beauty of Iceland, but can you afford to eat? Here’s how we spend our money in one of the most expensive countries in the world.
With its breathtaking natural beauty, Northern Lights and gorgeous skies, there’s no doubt that Iceland’s scenery is priceless.
Straight from the postcard
And everything else? Expensive, expensive, expensive.
I learned this the hard way on my first day by doing my favorite activity in each new country – going to the grocery store to buy local snacks. But one look at the prices (about S$7 for a small box of chocolates and about S$10 for cookies?!) ), the aunt in me started cackling with frustration. Needless to say, we left empty-handed.
Why is Iceland so expensive?
We put everything back on the shelf.
When itchy fingers couldn’t hold the snacks, they turned to the answer to life’s biggest mystery. So here’s the rub: Iceland doesn’t have much agriculture due to the harsh weather, so most things are imported. Iceland’s location – a small island in the middle of the ocean – makes these imports even more expensive.
The sparse population (only 330,000 people!) also keeps labor costs high, making consumer goods even more expensive. Add to that a strong currency and high sales tax, and …… yes, you will need the following Iceland budget tips.
As for drinks, don’t bother buying water – you’ll find the purest source at taps across the country. Stick to cold water (or bring it to a boil), though, because while hot water from the tap is safe to drink, it usually smells like sulfur.
