The cheapest month to visit Iceland, priced
January, at about 672,000 ISK for a ten-day self-drive for two — against 897,000 ISK for the identical trip in August. That is a saving of roughly 225,000 ISK, and it is almost entirely rooms and rental cars.
Where the money goes
| Car rental | 150,000 ISK | 20% |
| Rental insurance (SCDW + sand and ash) | 60,000 ISK | 8% |
| Fuel | 34,000 ISK | 5% |
| Kilometre road tax | 14,000 ISK | 2% |
| Parking at paid stops | 10,000 ISK | 1% |
| Accommodation (incl. lodging tax) | 178,000 ISK | 24% |
| Food | 190,000 ISK | 26% |
| Activities and entry fees | 100,000 ISK | 14% |
The same trip, month by month
Only rooms and car hire move with the season. Everything else costs the same in February as in July, which is why the spread is narrower than people expect. The light does not behave like the price at all, which is why it is in the table: a cheap month can be a short one.
| Month | Total | Per person per day | Usable light |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 672,000 ISK | 34,000 ISK | 7 hours 30 minutes |
| February | 672,000 ISK | 34,000 ISK | 10 hours 15 minutes |
| March | 689,000 ISK | 34,000 ISK | 13 hours 30 minutes |
| April | 711,000 ISK | 36,000 ISK | 16 hours 45 minutes |
| May | 737,000 ISK | 37,000 ISK | 21 hours 45 minutes |
| June | 849,000 ISK | 42,000 ISK | 24 hours |
| July | 897,000 ISK | 45,000 ISK | 24 hours |
| August | 897,000 ISK | 45,000 ISK | 18 hours 45 minutes |
| September | 737,000 ISK | 37,000 ISK | 14 hours 30 minutes |
| October | 705,000 ISK | 35,000 ISK | 11 hours 30 minutes |
| November | 679,000 ISK | 34,000 ISK | 8 hours 30 minutes |
| December | 721,000 ISK | 36,000 ISK | 7 hours |
What to know about this trip
Accommodation and car hire are the only lines that move with the season. Fuel, the kilometre road tax, food and insurance cost the same in February as in July, which is why the saving flattens out rather than scaling with the whole trip.
The cheap months cost you daylight. In December and January you get four to five hours of usable light, roads close at short notice, and the highlands are shut entirely. A winter trip often needs an extra night or two of slack, which eats into the saving — budget for it rather than being surprised by it.
May and September are the compromise most people are actually looking for: shoulder-season prices, most roads open, and enough daylight to drive between places without rushing.
Other trip shapes
5 days, 1 person · 5 days, 2 people · 5 days, 4 people · 7 days, 1 person · 7 days, 2 people · 7 days, 4 people · 10 days, 2 people · 10 days, 4 people · 14 days, 2 people · 14 days, 4 people · Campervan or hotels in Iceland: which is actually cheaper?
Change the assumptions and price your own trip · Driving distances