Grocery stores in Iceland are absolutely essential to visit if you are spending a long period of time in the country or if you are trying to see Iceland on a budget. While everyone knows that going out to eat while visiting is ultra expensive, no one really talks about grocery stores in Iceland.
We are here to tell you that Icelandic grocery stores are actually really great and not scary at all for foreigners [you can breathe a sigh of relief!] Before you pay an Iceland grocery store a visit, there are a few tips you need to keep in mind! Feel free to join our private Facebook group to ask any further questions about Iceland you may have and to share your photos and experiences!
Save money in Iceland by staying at an Airbnb! Get a FREE $55 Airbnb coupon by using our code when you book!5 Things To Know About Grocery Stores In Iceland
#1: Grocery stores in Iceland really aren’t that expensive
Grocery stores in Iceland are actually super affordable places for foreigners to shop. Unlike almost everything else in Iceland [gas, liquor, accommodations, dining out], prices at grocery stores in Iceland are relatively similar to shopping at your average store in America or Europe. For example, Iceland groceries such as frozen pizza may cost $4-5 USD, chips may cost $2 USD, and bread will cost $3.
Supermarkets in Iceland are quite reasonably priced when you consider that a simple hot dog and a drink can cost $15 USD from a gas station. If you want to save even more money, you can buy freeze dried food online before you travel and bring it with you to Iceland! If you are going on an Iceland tour, pick up some snacks from your local Iceland grocery store to eat during the tour as well!
#2: Supermarkets in Iceland offer tons of recognizable brands
Brand snobs rejoice! Grocery stores in Iceland cater to their many tourist shoppers by offering tons of brands we all know! From Doritos and Lays to recognizable frozen and canned food brands, there are plenty of options for those who want a taste of home when buying Iceland groceries.
The country receives a ton of visitors from America, Europe, and Asia, and grocery stores in Iceland do a great job stocking some items that will remind us all of home. If you are looking for a taste of local culture, head to your local supermarket in Iceland a buy something native to the country!
#3: All grocery stores in Iceland are not created equal
Whether you are venturing to south Iceland or driving the whole Ring Road, it is important to recognize that not all Iceland grocery stores are created equal. If you can, do the majority of your shopping in Reykjavik and just pick up perishables from other stores. Some grocery stores in Iceland offer a ton of selections while others are no larger than a gas station store.
If you are driving in Iceland, you are going to want to make grocery stores in Reykjavik one of your stops around the Ring Road! Some grocery stores in Iceland don’t offer much, so it is good to stock up in larger cities before you head off. Luckily, stock has gotten better in recent days, but Iceland still has a lot of remote areas and you should be well prepared!
Despite the fact that a lot of smaller towns are quite remote, all Iceland grocery stores offer fresh produce, frozen goods, and dry foods. The difference between Iceland supermarkets will be in selection, size, and price.
#4: Bonus Iceland is the best for range of options/price
Although there are multiple different places to shop for Iceland groceries, you are going to want to shop at Bonus Iceland whenever possible. Bonus Iclenad stores are easy to find because they are bright yellow with a huge pink pig logo.
Bonus Iceland stores are mostly located near Reykjavik/surrounding area, with a few in west Iceland. As a result of their affordability, Bonus Reykjavik stores are one of the most popular supermarkets in Reykjavik.
Other popular stores for Iceland grocery shopping such as Kronan or Netto don’t offer nearly as large a selection of affordable food products. Think of Bonus Iceland as the country’s version of Aldi and you are golden. If you are currently searching for a Bonus in Reykjavik, you are in luck because they are all over the city and quite accessible from the surrounding areas as well.
#5: You don’t have to bring your own bag to go buy Iceland groceries
Unlike Aldi and many grocery stores in Europe, grocery stores in Iceland provide their shoppers with free bags upon checkout. If you don’t get why this is such a big deal, then you have never shopped at a store that requires customers to bring their own bags or pay. That being said, if you want to help save the earth, add a foldable shopping bag to your Iceland packing list. You can buy a ton here for under $3!
If you do choose to get bags while grocery shopping, we highly recommend recycling them and reusing them throughout your trip. They can make a great trash bag in your car or a way to store your wet clothes if you happen to bathe in one of the many hot springs in Iceland. Either way, don’t throw your bags away after one use, find a way to recycle them and reduce your impact on the earth.
Map Of Supermarkets And Grocery Stores In Iceland
We have created this wonderful handy-dandy map of grocery stores in Iceland for your ease of use! Supermarkets in Iceland are easy to find and are spread all around the country. Of course, there are lots of grocery stores in Reykjavik so you have plenty of options.
If you plan to drive the Ring Road or even parts of it, rest assured that there are many options for supermarkets in Iceland all around the country! Click the link below and save our guide for your trip to Iceland. Each one of the supermarkets in Iceland is marked with a different color and you can see the type using the map key to the left of the Google Map.
Click Here For Grocery Stores in Iceland Map
Different Types Of Supermarkets In Iceland
There are many different types of grocery stores in Iceland and we have given you a quick rundown below so you know what to expect when visiting! Each store offers something a little different than the rest, so if there is something specific you are looking for, be sure to head to that supermarket because another chain may not have as many options.
Make sure to refer to our map above and check the color coding if there is a specific type of Iceland supermarket you want to visit.
Bonus Grocery Stores In Iceland
Bonus is our favorite grocery store in Iceland and what isn’t to love about a supermarket with a big pink pig on the logo? Bonus is the supermarket in Iceland that is for budget shoppers and also the cheapest and most affordable supermarket out there. Bonus is similar to stores like Aldi in Europe and the USA so everything is affordable and basic. This is where we stock up on the majority of our food when traveling through Iceland.
Kronan Grocery Stores In Iceland
Kronan is another budget grocery store in Iceland and another one of our favorites because there are lots of locations around the country, especially in the south and around Reykjavik. Kronan stores offer a larger meat and dairy section as well as fresh foods as opposed to Bonus.
If you are looking to buy lots of fresh foods Kronan is a good option but we still suggest stopping at Bonus first. Kronan also offers a variety of healthy food options as well.
Netto Supermarkets In Iceland
Netto is another one of the budget grocery stores in Iceland and it is quite large. Netto is one of the true supermarkets in Iceland because it sells more than just groceries. It is also larger than many Bonus stores and has lots of locations in the east fjords, west fjords, and north of Iceland. If you are looking for supermarkets in Iceland during your Ring Road drive, check out Netto for some great options!
Hagkaup Supermarkets In Iceland
Hagkaup is another one of the supermarkets in Iceland that you can visit during your stay. It is a bit like Walmart but for Iceland and you can buy everything from food to appliances and toiletries. Food is much more expensive at Hagkaup supermarkets in Iceland, but they are open 24 hours a day which is great if you need to make a run and all the other grocery stores are closed.
Kjarval Grocery Stores In Iceland
Kjarval is the name of the grocery stores in Iceland that focus a lot on smaller towns. If you are heading to south Iceland and plan on visiting Vik [which we recommend you should!] this is pretty much the only grocery store in Vik! It is teeny tiny, almost like going into a gas station, and the prices are medium to high.
If you are going to Vik, we recommend stocking up on groceries in Selfoss or Reykjavik and only using Kjarval grocery stores for anything else you may need.
Samkaup And Samkaup Strax Grocery Stores In Iceland
Samkaup Strax and Samkaup are sister stores and part of a popular Icelandic grocery store chain. Once you depart bigger cities that are home to Netto, Kronan, and Bonus, you will start to see more of these Samkaup stores. Be warned, these stores are very pricey so we don’t recommend visiting unless you really need to stock up on something. Even the locals who live near these stores drive to larger towns to do their shopping because of how expensive these grocery stores in Iceland can be!
Krambúð Grocery Stores In Iceland
Krambúð grocery stores in Iceland are another supermarket chain that focuses on the medium and small towns spread throughout the country. They are not located in Reykjavik or bigger cities and cater to the individual needs of the locals in that area. They are relatively small but offer good quality food especially if you are in a small town and need to visit an Icelandic grocery store with urgency!
Iceland Grocery Store Hours Of Operation
While this may sound like a pointless tip, hear us out! Grocery stores in Iceland close at strange times [for people from the United States at least]. In the big cities, Icelandic supermarkets may stay open until 8-9pm if you are lucky. If you are in a more rural area, some grocery stores close as early as 6pm.
The grocery stores in Iceland close even earlier on the weekends, and some may not be open at all on a Sunday. How do we know this? We have learned the hard way multiple times during our previous visits to Iceland! We have waited to go grocery shopping and then the store closed super early like 4pm or wasn’t open at all.
To save you some grief, we recommend stocking up at grocery stores in Iceland early and often so you aren’t stuck eating toast or leftover food you have stashed away if you make the mistake of waiting until the last minute. Some supermarkets in Iceland have their hours posted online or posted on your GPS location.
Be sure to check what time the store closes so that you can be prepared. There aren’t a lot of people in Iceland, especially in rural areas, so stores tend to close earlier than people may be used to simply because there is no point in keeping the store open.
Make sure to check out our itineraries for 3 days in Iceland, 4 days in Iceland, and 5 days in Iceland as well as our suggestions on Where To Stay In Iceland!
Don’t forget to pack these 5 things for your trip to Iceland:
1. Balaclava:. Since Iceland is so windy, skip packing a scarf that will blow off and choose a balaclava instead. They protect your face and neck from arctic winds for less than $10 and they won’t blow off like a scarf. Balaclavas tuck into your shirt and can be worn underneath a hat so you can enjoy all the protection they have to offer without all the bulk.
2. GoPro: If you are looking for an easy way to capture great photos and videos during your trip to Iceland, a GoPro should top your Iceland packing list. You can invest in a GoPro that is top of the line or stick with an older model like the GoPro Hero 3 which is what we travel with. GoPros are durable and waterproof and perfect to pack for a trip to Iceland.
3. Daypack: Since you won’t be trekking your suitcase around, a daypack is the perfect travel item to carry your essentials for the day including a snack, extra clothing, water bottle, etc. If you want to add a daypack to your Iceland packing list, Look for one that folds up so you can pack it in your luggage and take it out upon your arrival.
4. Extra Food: Since going out to eat in Iceland is super expensive, bringing extra food is a great way to save some money. Even though grocery stores in Iceland are reasonably priced, it doesn’t hurt to pack some freeze-dried meals. Buying them online or at your local grocery store will be a fraction of the cost of buying food in Iceland.
5. Wool Socks: There isn’t too much to say on why you should pack wool socks other than wool is the single best fabric for keeping you warm and has been for centuries. We tried to do a winter trip without wool socks and it was a huge mistake.
Shopping in Iceland grocery stores is quite a pleasant experience and much less stressful and expensive than you would imagine! Comment below and let us know if you have ever shopped at a supermarket in Iceland!
Pin this post:
Andrea W.
Thanks for sharing! It’s intimidating to navigate other countries when visiting. I’m not sure I will find myself in Iceland, but I love this peek into their culture 🙂
Follow Me Away
Yes! Peeking into cultures is always fun! <3
Linda M
I have huge dreams to travel. This article was especially interesting to me, because I am vegan & its of huge importance to be able to find quality vegan food during international travels. I believe it’s doable in Iceland after reading this, Victoria.
Follow Me Away
Yes! Vegan food isn’t too hard to come by in Iceland as they have many of the same offerings as the USA. 🙂
Kallsy
I love how cute the grocery stores are there! Some great tips here. 🙂
Kelly | A Pair of Passports
Such a creative post! One of our favorite things about AirBnbs is that we can cook in our own apartment, even if we are just staying for a night. (That’s not to say that we often do, haha!). Grocery store shopping & home cooking is a great way to save money while traveling – or at least prioritize spending on more important stuff 🙂
Jacqueline Seevers
I would never have thought of checking out the grocery stores while on vacation! I think this a great tip in general!
Follow Me Away
Yes! We love going to the grocery while on vacation, especially for drinks and snacks for day trips.
Ivy Allen
What kind of drinks do they have? I love diet mountain dew as my coffee. Do you remember if they sold them? Plus any American beer? Thanks love all this info. Going the end of May.
Collette Stohler
This is so helpful for a trip to Iceland! Wish I had this before I visited!
Follow Me Away
Thank you! Just another reason to go back…..as if you needed any 😉
Hannah
haha good to know! I’m off to Iceland next month, just for the weekend but this is good to know for snacks on day tours and for the plane!
Follow Me Away
Yes! Have so much fun! Iceland is great anytime of year!
Anne
Great tips! Thanks, we are going this weekend (2nd trip) longer this time! Staying at an Airbnb place so will def need the grocery store! I love exploring grocery stores in different places, it’s fun!
Follow Me Away
Yay!! Have so much fun! We love staying at Airbnb in Iceland…one of the best ways to see the country!
Ambra
Just á little nit picking from a local. Grocery store aren’t catering to tourist with their selection. We import a lot of foodstuff and my generation was brought up eating Cocoa Puffs and Cheerios for breakfast. I’m soon to be 60. So nothing to do with tourists. We have imported foods from both Europe and the US for a long time.
Bonus is low cost as is Kronan and Netto (the last being open 24 hours selling yarn at great price). Hagkaup is more upscale to be found in several locations with a broader selection of goods (clothing, housewares, yarn, books and toys) in their 24 hour store centrally located in the city. We have two Iceland stores also 24 hour. And there is Kostur which carries a lot of products from the US (lots of Kirkland). 10-11 are overpriced limited selection shops that cater to working people and tourists.
Then there is Fru Lauga, a cute organic food store. Costco will open this fall. Use Google maps to find these places.
Follow Me Away
Thank you for this wonderful comment!! We love education and learning as much as we can! That is wonderful the grocery stores are just selling what they would usually sell, our bad for thinking otherwise. YES! We heard about the Costco! We have them in Florida and they are awesome so you are in for a real treat! Thanks for stopping by!
Susan
Thanks for the blog and thank you for this comment, Ambra! This is very helpful to us all. I will be in Iceland in October and am still deciding where to stay but am leaning towards renting a camper as I like the convenience of having no itinerary. I will be looking for yarn (yay Netto and Hagkaup!) and we will definitely have to use our membership to check out Costco, to see what’s there.
Bakary
I found Bonus had everything I needed.
Please try to bring your own bag(s); it’s better for the environment.
Follow Me Away
Yes! Bonus is the best. We always travel with a small folding reusable bag and you are right, such a good thing to use!
Nastassia
You just saved us soooooo much money with your article!!!! Thank you!
Follow Me Away
Ahhhh so awesome to hear! Have so much fun!
Jonathan
Great advice ! We stayed airbnb in Reykjavik plus another area and bonus was amazing ,also fun to look round !
They had a great selection of goodies so much so that we left plenty of food for the next people to stay and yes it’s a good idea to stock up for your road trip as the gas station food is pretty limited and expensive ! Good luck to everyone who gets to experience this magical island !
Follow Me Away
Absolutely! It is the only way to travel Iceland! 😉
Jody
We lived in the grocery stores while we were there! We had all 3 of our kids and my wife’s parents and we stayed in a home in Selfoss. They were starting to recognize us in Kronan! They had way more than we thought they would and sometimes we would just have to Google something if we were sure what it was! Fun adventure for sure. I’m headed back for a photography trip in July. I’ll be stocking up with food every chance I get!
Follow Me Away
Yes!!! Grocery stores are a life saver! What photography trip are you going back for? Sounds really awesome!
Denny Leicht
I like looking through an article that can make people think. Also, thanks for allowing for me to comment!
Anna
Heres just a few friendly pointers from a local and some advice. Although it’s irrational the Icelander in me couldn’t help but get annoyed when I read the bit about catering to tourists at our supermarkets. We are wayyyy more than just a tourist attraction, still I understand that it would be an easy assumption to make 🙂 I also wanted to point out that with the exception of the tinny clear bags that rip instantly stores don’t give you bags for free!!! You pay a few króna for each bag, I recommend carrying a tote bag with you to save money and for environmental reasons 😉
Also I always recommend packing a lunch for day trips instead of buying hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches for 10$ on the road everyday its a tourist trap and prices go up every year. When I have friends visiting I recommend save our money for going to a nice meal and a few drinks in the city at the end of their trip instead, we have a lot of really good restaurants to choose from like Apotekið right downtown and Kopar by the old harbour trust me its worth every penny.
Follow Me Away
Thank you for your comment!! As a Floridian, we know how you feel about being seen only as a tourist attraction sometimes. That is not what we meant. In Florida, we do cater to other cultures so that other visitors have things they are familiar about when they are in our state. Not to say to get rid of the Icelandic identity. I hope that clears things up 🙂
Susan
Thank you for your recommendations Anna, much appreciated. The two restaurants you mentioned look fabulous!
Angela Arsenio
I just arrived from a holiday in Iceland and didn’t miss anything from other countries – everything in Iceland was good for me!!
Anna you have a wonderful country and wonderful people – loved it! I have to say that for a Brit, found prices high, but that is the way things are and we accept it! Keep up the good work and carry on looking after your amazing country!
Hanane
Hello, thank you for this awesome article!
Im planning to go for a 8 days road trip in iceland in september. Im planning on going to one of the grocery stores and buy all the food/snacks/drinks i need for the trip. How much do u think will be the amount of the expenses?
Thank you!
Follow Me Away
Depending on what you buy, you could do it all for under $100USD, even cheaper if you will stick to the basics!
Jenn Stanley
Costco also just recently opened in Iceland between the airport and Reykjavic. If youre renting a car, this is a great option too!
Vrinda
Only open to Costco members. This us a wholesale store.
David
Hi! Congratulations on this post. Really helpful. My wife and I are traveling with our 18-month-old son, and our concern is if there will be enough grocery around the country. I looked up for Bonus, Kronan and so on supermarkets, who aren’t that common especially at east and north of the ring road (as you said). We’re traveling for 15 days and would like to know if it’ll be difficult or not to buy veggies and fresh food all over the country. And, if there’re restaurants on the way (I read such differents things on the internet).
Thanks a lot!
Axel Diego
On thing nr. 2; Icelandic stores usually always charge for a plastic bag. Unless it’s clothes or specialiced bags, which you probably do pay for in the upper price ranges. Unless you wanna carry everything in vegetable bags that are available at the counter.
Noga
Great post! thank you!
Do you have an exact address of a big Bonus branch in Reykjavik that you can recommend?
I’m planing to go in mid-august and trying to find a cheap place to buy all the basic things I will need for the trip.
Thanks 🙂
Follow Me Away
We are not sure but you can google it once you get there! There are many of them and they are easy to find! Just put it in your GPS and it will come up 🙂
flaffle
We spent two weeks doing the Ring Rd. this winter and the grocery stores saved us a ton and were just fun. Even with the language barrier on labels, we could figure most things out and were amazed at the variety of affordable and healthy foods you could get. We made the mistake of being lazy and going out to eat a few times and blew waaaaay too much money – enough to cost a night each time in a nice guesthouse. Anyway, between using grocery stores and cheap hotdog stands otherwise, we kept it nicely in check. I highly recommend taking advantage of Skyr (awesome sauce yogurt) and if you see Doritos, get the “Cool American” flavor for giggles. We only stayed in guesthouses which all had awesome facilities for storing and preparing food too which just makes it so easy. Great article and wish I had seen this when prepping for our trip!
Follow Me Away
Yay!!! You did exactly what we did and it seems like you saved a ton of money too! We only went out to a noddle shop in Reykjavik one time and it was like $10USD a person but only because we could’t cook in our hotel room!
Yoda and Dalek
Love the post! We found Bonus to be a lifesaver on a budget as well (referred to us by an Icelandic colleague). 6000 ISK worth of groceries lasted us our 4 days in Iceland. We’d also like to add that your Iceland photos are simply incredible and we love them to bits 🙂
Follow Me Away
Thank you so much! We appreciate it and are glad you had a great budget trip!! Bonus is the best!
AKCO
Thank you!
Stephanie Holst
We were there last week and another thing to add is that Bonus stores have limited hours! Most of the stores we visited were closed by 5 or 7 pm. It took some planning as we were on the road most days, we either had to make sure we were in a town early or hang around in the morning until the stores opened up around 10 or 11 am. Also, they’ve started charging for bags.
Follow Me Away
These are very good tips!! Thanks for sharing and hope you had fun in Iceland!
Tawnya Cook
Do the grocery stores in Iceland sell disposable coolers for the road? We are staying at AirBnB’s along the way, so we won’t have one refrigerator to keep our food in during the long day drives. We will be transporting the food each day.
Follow Me Away
Hey Twanya!
If you go to a larger Bonus or Krnon they will have coolers like you are speaking of! Just ask someone at the front desk for help finding it so you don’t spend too much time looking around 🙂 Have fun in Iceland!
Tawnya
Great news! Thanks much! Our first night is in Rekjavik, so I think we will try and find Bonus.
Follow Me Away
There will be a Bonus for sure! You can’t miss them just put it in your GPS 🙂
Jenny Langran
I must say I have only travelled in winter, at which time if you keep the food that’s frozen or needs to be chilled in the boot you’ll be OK. We managed it for a week. Also all the guest houses and B&Bs we stayed in had a kitchen and a fridge freezer to use. Kitchen cooking facilities vary from a toaster, kettle and microwave to full-size cookers, pots and pans. Have a look through the photos if the owners are not clear about the facilities. Hostels are usually well provisioned, friendly and comfortable.
If you’re not stopping in Rejkavik, there’s a good Bonus near Keflavik Airport. If you’re heading north there’s one at Borganes.
Tawnya Cook
Thank you for the tips. I think we will definitely be stopping at the Bonus for supplies. We are staying at one AirBnB on Tuesday, then again on a Thursday. She emailed me and offered to let us keep our things there on the Wednesday we are gone which helps tremendously. We won’t need to haul everything around at least for a few days.
ida
I just ordered from this shop http://www.buynordic.se Its a new online shop in Stockholm. They were really nice and their customer service was good. I got the things I ordered for in just two weeks.
http://www.buynordic.se
Jim Cook
Loved the article! Good information about stores and advice in genera. Group of us photographers and spouses visiting in September 2018 and will be using much of what you suggest. Thank you!
Follow Me Away
Hey Jim!! How much fun! We are also planning a return trip to Iceland during Sept 2018! Maybe we will bump into each other at one of the beautiful locations in Iceland! You will love the country!
Jim Cook
Do these stores accept credit cards? And when traveling outside of Reykavik I’m assuming that currency would be more desirable. Thank you for advice.
Follow Me Away
Yes! All the stores, even the ones in more remote areas, accept credit card! We have been to ones in the middle of nowhere and they still accept it 🙂 Have fun in Iceland
Mandi
When I went to Iceland earlier this year, I purchased a shopping bag from Bonus. It only cost around a dollar, and then I had a cute souvenir that I can use at home!
Follow Me Away
That is a great idea!! We actually did that in Paris once and it is such a cute reminder to have back home 🙂
Don
We are travelling to Iceland in August 2018. Your tips about grocery stores are invaluable. How far away from Reykjavik is Costco?Don
Follow Me Away
Hello Don!! When we were last in Iceland the Costco had not yet been completed. Pretty sure it is within the Reykjavik city limits though so within 20 minutes should be a good bet!
mukti bavisi
lovely article. lots of info. Thanks a ton.
V a family of 6 visting iceland this summer. V vl keep your suggestions in mind. Just a question whether the product labels on Yogurt and milks etc. will be in english or Only icelandic?
Danielle
Hi – did you notice if there are plenty of certified gluten free items in the grocery stores? I have Celiac Disease and will be traveling in Iceland by camper for 3 weeks later this month. Thanks for any input!
Pacific Rim Uprising
My brother suggested I would possibly like this website.
He was totally right. This put up actually made my day.
You cann’t consider simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
Follow Me Away
Omg thank you for commenting!!! That means a lot to us! Glad you liked the posts <3 Thanks for stopping by!
Jim
going to Iceland May/June and I am a COSTCO member. COSTCO does not offer any car rental discounts in Iceland FYI. I just called them before I wrote this note.
Marcia
I am so excited to be heading to Iceland soon. Because of food allergies, we booked an apartment so that we can cook our own meals. The information you have provided has calmed my “food shopping stress”. Great information. I can’t wait to go grocery shopping!
Follow Me Away
This warms our hearts to hear!! Grocery shopping in Iceland really isn’t that bad and it isn’t confusing either! Pretty straightforward and way cheaper than eating out! We can’t wait to hear about your travels! xoxo
Milin
Just remember, the Bonus stores have limited hours. Some we went to didn’t open until 11 am and closed around 5. There were also many things that were a lot more expensive than in the US like yogurt ( but really good), eggs, bacon, milk, peanut butter. But it was still way cheaper than eating out.
Jo Anne Sims
Thanks for a great post! We had an AirB&B in Reykjavik, then a camper for 2 weeks in 2016. My tip is to eat out at lunch & take 1/3 of the meal home. We paired the heated leftovers with salad, veg, & fruit from Bonus or Netto for dinner. Our restaurant meals were delicious, many were farm or ocean to table, so don’t pass on eating out for a few meals.
Follow Me Away
That is a unique idea!! love taking home half of the meal!
Jamie
This was a very helpful article.
I am going to Iceland the first week in July, and appreciate the info. I have also been packing meals for our trip, and was planning on getting scallions, salad and lox, and fruit in the supermarket, good to know that I will be able to do this. I only knew about the airport grocery store, and am thrilled to know there is a better choice.
I travel quite a bit, and love going into the grocery stores. It is a great place to get beers for a souvenir for my son-in-law, and candy for my students for souvenirs and muchies at a reasonable price, grab water that doesn’t have a huge mark up like hotels do, and get breakfast foods for every day in hotels, It is also a wonderful way to see how people live and get an inside peek at the culture of a destination.
When I was in Peru on a group travel trip, my travel companions laughed at me initially when I told them I was going to find a grocery store there to pick up water, and kindly came with me, and then every single person ended up with bags of food, water, and souvenirs, and requrested we return right before we left for more gifts. Coffee was so much less expensive in the grocery store than it was in the shops targeted at tourists.
Thank you for taking the time to put this together, it was so helpful! Everyone should know about grocery stores in foreign places, they aren’t scary, they are fantastic!
Phoebe Escott-Kenny
Thanks for this guys! Just got some valuable tips 🙂 Flying to Iceland in 3 weeks and still have NO accom or rental car booked eeeeeeeep
Wilfredo Cogar
I think this a great tip in general! Thank you for taking the time to put this together, it was so helpful!
Jim Cook
Have been following posts for awhile and our trip is only few days away. Wondering about postal services in Iceland, postage, can cards letters be mailed easily?
Thank you for all the great tips I’ve been getting from you!
Yamini Clarke
Thank you for the wonderful cost saving tips. We are going to Iceland in April next year and will most definitely be stopping at the Bonus for supplies. We are going for 1 week and hoping to do the golden circle route, but need some advice on booking airbnb. Should we book a few different ones along the route? Is there any advice you can give us? Would that be more economical and time saving or the opposite? Any help/recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Iceland has been on our bucket list for so long now and I can’t wait to get there. Thanks again for your your great tips.
Marlene Osentoski
So informative, I am visiting Iceland in November 2018, going Air B&B. Has anyone been to Costco yet? Price information appreciated. Also can you.purchase good coffee in the grocery store?
Frank Walls
It’s kind of funny, but there’s a chain of grocery stores in the UK called…. ICELAND!
Really quite impressive resource here for the expat or someone on an extended stay in this beautiful country.
Kelv
Just out of curiosity, was driving around / getting around Iceland difficult? Planning a February trip for 2 there and heard that renting a small car can be extremely dangerous as winds and snow tends to flip them over for long drives from Reykjavic to the ice caves.
Follow Me Away
We went in Feb in the smallest 2×2 car possible and were fine. As long as you abide by weather warnings and if there is a notice to stay off the road then do so! Otherwise have a fun trip!
Paula
Hello,
About the price of the food we have eaten a really noche hot dog and a Coke for 490kr, less Than 4euros. And really good burguera for 1200kr.
Also lots of restaurante with really good dishes for not more Than 2000kr. Of course you save with aupermarkets and we díd it, but We were scared about the prices of food and it is expensive but not exagerated.
Crysyalyn
Very nice roundup ! I much preferred Kronan on my trip, but love how useful this map is
Follow Me Away
We used Kronan a LOT on our last trip! Thanks so much!
helen.story@hotmail.co.uk
Hi, we ae currently planning a trip to Iceland later this year for two adults and three children. I’m finding your posts really useful in the planning. A bit of a random question but I’m wondering if the high street bakery is a thing in Iceland? Or is stores have reasonably priced in store bakery counters as you’d find in the likes of Germany and Holland? I’m guessing we are going to end up doing a fair bit of self catering!
Follow Me Away
Hello! There may be one in Reykjavik but not that I know of! The grocery stores have a “fresh” section where you can get cookies and bakery goods but yes the majority of it is self catering! Have fun!
Angela Arsenio
We were in Selfoss and we found a nice bakery, but all supermarkets have fresh bakery goods.
Enjoy Iceland – it is better than you can imagine! Go see the whales!
Sue
Buy your cocolate and candy souvenirs at the grocery store. Much less expensive than gift shops for the same brands.
fabio
nice guide, that’s the list I was searching for because I’m probably going to buy most of the food at groceries and then bring it with me while driving around! thanks
Follow Me Away
It is a great idea and so worth it and will help you save a lot of money!
Alex Besaw
Wait, you’re saying that the grocery stores in Iceland actually provide bags for FREE!?
That’s one thing that I miss so much.
Suralak Poolsap
Wow! That’s super helpful! I and my family plan to be there on the middle of this April 2019…!!! Found out that we have so many things to prepare since we leave in Thailand, so darn hot and humid place! Thanksss…!!!
Ally
I’m saving your grocery store map! Your post was super helpful ,Thank you so much and love & gratitute from India 🙂 Were there vegan options available in the grocery stores- aka hummus instead of cheese etc, healthier gluten free snacks etc? Just a tad worried about entering Iceland as one vegetarian and one vegan person is travelling with us!
Follow Me Away
Yes there sure are! There are a variety of vegan options!
Steve
Wow this was such an incredible post! The info and map was exactly what I needed. We like to cook ourselves when we travel and pick up food along the way.
Quick question: I saw that Hagkaup is the best place to find small appliances. We want to buy a small sandwich maker and possible a George foreman electric grill. Do you know if they have that stuff there? Is there a different place that has it? Also, I wonder what the prices are.
Thanks so much!!! Seriously so glad I found your page… i have been reading everything!!
Mike T
Thank you so, so much for the information and Google Map! I’ve saved a copy of that for our Route 1 road trip, hopefully in 2021!
Follow Me Away
Thank you so much! I hope you get to go! Good luck!
Mia
This article is very outdated. Krónan has been cheaper than Bónus for a while (and has way way more food options). Nettó is not really budget (for many items it’s more expensive than Hagkaup).
They haven’t given free shopping bags in stores for years. Also, since plastic bags were outlawed, you’re advised to bring your own reusable bag.