Iceland on a budget: Why you should seriously consider renting a campervan
Iceland: a country where you can catch the northern lights, visit all the thermal pools and highlands to your heart's desire... the list goes on. Add in the frequent flight deals you'll find to this island, and it's no coincidence that Iceland is a popular tourist destination year-round.
At the same time, Iceland is notoriously expensive. According to Numbeo's Cost of Living index, Iceland ranks as the fourth most expensive country in the world — just behind Bermuda, Switzerland and Norway.
Related: Traveling to Iceland during the coronavirus pandemic
Even though my mom and I snagged a bargain to Iceland for May (our flights were under $400 round-trip), we knew that prices would be astronomical once we were on the ground. You can expect to drop a pretty penny from renting a car to booking a hotel to dining at a restaurant.
Still, we were determined to do Iceland on a budget — and we were successful. We slept, ate and drove around the whole country in a campervan. While not the most glamorous of accommodations, we ended up saving a ton of money and had a blast.
Campervan culture is huge in Iceland
Before this trip, I had never been in a campervan, RV or any motorhome of the like. But campervan culture is huge in Iceland, with more than 170 campgrounds in the entire country (and most charge just a few euros per person). The facilities were well-kept and safe.
Likewise, there are a plethora of campervan companies to choose from. I booked our campervan through Lava Car Rental, and they offered free round-trip transportation to and from their airport. After a short five-minute drive, we arrived at the car rental center.
After just putting 43€ ($50) down at booking, we paid the rest at the counter for a total price of 285€ ($335) for six days. That breaks down to just $55 per day, which I found more than reasonable. Pickup was also seamless and was just like any other rental car experience I've had in the past.
You can be spontaneous with your travel plans
The biggest draw for me when renting a campervan is that everything you need is in one place. This is especially helpful when you're in a country where you need a car to get around to visit all the sites.
Iceland is also bigger than you may think, and throw in unexpected weather conditions, and it may take you a long time to get to where you want to be. Rather than limiting yourself to one hotel — or stressing yourself out planning multiple hotels to stay at along your route — the freedom to park our campervan at the nearest campsite and do everything on our own time (and pace) was a huge advantage.
We had just hopped off our five-hour red-eye with minimal sleep. Instead of overdoing it, we both agreed to take a nap before we started our adventure. We parked in a random gas station for about two hours, caught up on some much-needed sleep and felt refreshed to begin our journey.
In all, a campervan allows for the utmost spontaneity. While my mom and I drew out a rough itinerary of spots we wanted to hit, staying in a campervan helped us be as flexible as possible. There were winds of 40mph the first two nights of our trip, which made sightseeing much more complex, so we made sure to take things slowly at first.
Related: These are the best times to visit Iceland
The meals were delicious (and cheap)
When it comes to food, my mom is quite particular. Like Gordon Ramsay, she's quite critical of other people's cooking. Nine times out of 10, we'll leave a restaurant with her saying, "I could have cooked that better."
I can't blame her. She's an amazing cook, and I count the days until I can go back home and eat some of her traditional Korean meals.
Since Iceland isn't a country known for its cuisine, renting a campervan allowed us to have the freedom to cook our own meals to our tastebuds' delight. In her checked bag, my mom brought some of the Korean staples: gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), instant rice, seaweed, spicy ramen and more.
We bought everything else we needed at the grocery store, from Icelandic sausage for our budae jjigae (Korean army stew) and bagels and fruit for breakfast.
Best of all, all the kitchen utensils and cookware we needed came with our campervan. Not to mention, it was a bonding experience whipping up our meals after a long hike — and I swear the food tastes better in the fresh air.
Sleeping was not that bad
With such limited space in the campervan, the entire backside of the car housed our suitcases, cookware and our beds.
We had to make our bed every night by pulling out these wooden planks, topping them with a mattress pad and nestling in our sleeping bags. In the morning, we had to put everything away so we could have space to cook.
Plus, we were so tired at the end of the night that we fell asleep almost instantly, and it was certainly much more comfortable than sleeping in a tent.
Related: You don't want to make these mistakes when you visit Iceland
Bottom line
The campervan life may not be for everyone (I appreciated my tiny NYC apartment tenfold when I got home). Still, in a country like Iceland, it's the most economical way to visit all of your bucket list spots in a short amount of time. The campervan came with everything we needed, including a portable gas stove, cookware, a water jug, heater, cooler and so much more. Finally, sharing a small amount of space with one other person was also an experience of its own and will hands down be one of my favorite memories spent with my mom.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.