We Interrupt Chronology for this Important Topic...

Greetings! I keep getting a lot of questions around money and the cost of things, so allow me to interrupt our chronological story to provide you the details on the expenses of our trip.

I'll share openly how much things cost and our total cost. I do so not to brag and definitely NOT to turn anyone off on the idea of visiting Iceland, but because I want to be transparent about it. I firmly believe this trip was priceless -- worth every penny we spent. I would have happily spent more, in fact. We didn't try to cut corners or make it cheap -- we could have. We spent money as we saw fit.

Some early costs -- pre-arrival in Iceland

Airfare

$346                    Rachel airfare to Milwaukee
$250.98               Dave and Rachel airfare to Toronto
$1142.54              Dave and Rachel airfare to Reykjavik and back to Toronto
$137*2 =  $ 274    Dave and Rachel airfare back to Chicago
$47*2 = 94           Dave and Rachel upgrades to business class
$89                      Rachel airfare to Dallas
$ 372                   Rachel airfare to San Jose

total airfare costs = $2568.52

Rental of extra camera gear
$1,000

Hotel reservation in Reykjavik (paid in full, in advance)
220,00 Euros = $299.17

Hotspot Wifi Device Rental (paid in full, in advance, billed in USD)
$134

Happy Campers RV Rental (billed in euros, converted)
$2300

Swimming Pools and Nature Baths
100,600 ISK = $93.14 ($70 of this was the nature baths -- the pools were cheap)

Excursion to Arctic Circle
19.320 isk = $169.77 ferry tickets
2400 isk = $21   snacks on board

Flybus from hotel to airport
5000isk = $43.93

Icelandic Wool hats and socks (3 hats- Dave, Rachel, Jason, 1 pair of socks)
 10420 ISK = $91.46

Utivists (detailed local maps)
3200isk = $28

Gas (diesel)
37938 isk = $333.37

Duty Free (coming and going)
6571 isk = $57.74

Liquor Store
2389isk = $20.99

Groceries (mainly skyr, prince polo bars, milk)
14133 isk = $124.19

Meals out at restaurants, gas stations, hot dog stands, coffee shops, pubs
116460 isk = $1023.47

Grand total (minus all the stuff I'm forgetting!)
 $8,308.75


So, 14 days in Iceland for 2 people doing whatever they want at any given time and not trying to save money cost $8300.

Could you do it for less? Of course!

I hope this doesn't turn anyone away from going to Iceland. There are package deals you can get for as little as $700 a person sometimes. Sure, that's just airfare and lodging for 3-4 days in Reykjavik -- but still...makes it possible for many whereas $8300 probably isn't.

I'll conclude this by saying -- YOU MUST GO TO ICELAND. Once you stop having a heart attack and start saving your money, all will be well. GO! Stop thinking about it being expensive. DO IT.