Expensive, but the best things are free: the water, the pools, and the roadside

Iceland's prices are high for food, alcohol, and lodging, but the main attractions cost nothing: waterfalls, black beaches, geysers, and the light. Tap water is the best in the world, so never buy bottled. The municipal swimming pools in every town (geothermal, outdoor, with hot tubs) cost a few dollars and are where Icelanders meet; the Blue Lagoon is a pricey spa, not a local tradition. Bónus and Krónan supermarkets are the way to eat; the hot dog stand in Reykjavík is the cheap meal.