If you’re planning a road trip around Iceland, you’ll almost certainly need to visit a supermarket.

Whether you’re buying breakfast for your campervan, stocking up on snacks for the Ring Road or trying to keep your food budget under control, choosing the right supermarket can save you a surprising amount of money.

We’ve shopped in supermarkets all over Iceland during our road trips, and while they’re all good, each one has its own strengths.

Here’s our guide to Iceland’s biggest supermarket chains and which one is best for your trip.

Quick Comparison

Supermarket	Best For	Price	Opening Hours
Bónus	Budget shopping	⭐ Cheapest	Shorter hours
Krónan	Great all-round choice	⭐⭐ Good value	Good
Nettó	Convenience & longer hours	⭐⭐⭐ Medium	Usually longer
Hagkaup	Biggest selection	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Most expensive	Often longest

If you’re looking to save money, Bónus is usually our first choice.

Bónus

If you’ve done any research about Iceland, you’ve probably seen the famous pink pig logo.

Bónus is widely regarded as Iceland’s cheapest supermarket and is where we do most of our shopping.

Best For

• Saving money
• Weekly food shopping
• Campervan trips
• Self-catering holidays

You’ll Find

• Fresh food
• Sandwich ingredients
• Snacks
• Drinks
• Frozen food
• Household essentials
• Icelandic treats

The only downside is that stores don’t usually stay open as late as some competitors.

Krónan

Krónan offers a great balance between price and convenience.

Prices are generally a little higher than Bónus, but the stores are modern, well stocked and often easier to find.

If there isn’t a Bónus nearby, Krónan is an excellent alternative.

Nettó

Nettó is one of Iceland’s most convenient supermarkets.

Many branches stay open later than Bónus, making them ideal if you’re arriving late or finishing a long day exploring.

Prices tend to be slightly higher, but the convenience is often worth it.

Hagkaup

Think of Hagkaup as Iceland’s larger supermarket and department store.

Alongside groceries, you’ll also find:

• Clothing
• Electronics
• Homeware
• Cosmetics
• Gifts

It’s a great place if you need more than just food.

However, prices are generally the highest of the four supermarkets.

Compared with Bónus, Krónan and Nettó, Hagkaup feels much more like a large supermarket combined with a department store. We wouldn’t normally choose it for the cheapest grocery shop, but the much wider range can make it extremely useful if you need clothing, toiletries, household products or other essentials alongside food.

Bónus vs Krónan: Which Is Cheaper?

If keeping your food budget as low as possible is the priority, Bónus is usually our first choice.

During our trips around Iceland, we’ve generally found Bónus to be the best option for budget shopping, particularly when stocking up for several days of a road trip.

Krónan is also very good value, though, and we wouldn’t drive miles out of our way just to find a Bónus. Krónan offers a great balance of price, selection and convenience and is one of our favourite alternatives.

For most travellers, the difference between the two is less important than simply avoiding expensive convenience shopping and buying several meals at once.

Is Bónus or Krónan cheaper?

In our experience, Bónus is generally the cheaper option, while Krónan is still competitively priced and can offer a wider or more convenient shopping experience depending on the store.

Prices and promotions change, so we’d always compare what you actually need rather than assuming every individual product will be cheaper at one chain.

Nettó vs Bónus: Which Should You Choose?

Bónus is our choice when price is the priority, while Nettó can be better when convenience matters more.

Nettó stores can have longer opening hours and are found in useful locations around Iceland, which can make them particularly handy during a road trip.

If both are nearby and we’re doing a larger food shop, we’d normally choose Bónus. But if we’ve finished a long day of exploring and Nettó is the convenient option, we’re perfectly happy shopping there.

What Should You Buy?

Some of our regular supermarket purchases include:

• Sandwich ingredients
• Fresh fruit
• Yoghurts
• Skyr
• Breakfast cereals
• Crisps
• Chocolate
• Soft drinks
• Bottled water (although Icelandic tap water is perfectly safe!)
• Instant noodles
• Pasta
• Ready meals

Buying lunch from supermarkets rather than cafés can save a significant amount of money.

Is Icelandic Tap Water Safe?

Absolutely.

In fact, Iceland has some of the cleanest tap water in the world.

We always carry a reusable water bottle and refill it throughout our trip instead of buying bottled water.

It’s free, tastes fantastic and helps reduce plastic waste.

Can You Pay by Card?

Yes.

Like most businesses in Iceland, supermarkets are almost entirely cashless.

We’ve always paid using:

• Debit card
• Credit card
• Apple Pay

There’s rarely any need to carry cash.

Shopping During a Ring Road Trip

If you’re driving the Ring Road, we’d recommend stocking up whenever you reach a larger town.

Some of the best places include:

• Reykjavík
• Selfoss
• Vík
• Höfn
• Egilsstaðir
• Akureyri
• Borgarnes

Once you head into more remote areas, supermarkets become much less frequent.

Hiring a Car Makes Shopping Easier

Having your own car means you can stock up on food whenever it’s convenient rather than relying on expensive service stations.

We’ve always had excellent experiences with Blue Car Rental, making supermarket stops easy throughout our Iceland road trips.

🚗 Hire your car here:

https://www.bluecarrental.is/?affiliate=IcelandicAdventure

Campervan Travellers

If you’re exploring Iceland by campervan, supermarket shopping becomes even more important.

Cooking your own meals can save hundreds of pounds over the course of a longer trip.

We travelled with CampEasy, and having our own kitchen meant supermarket visits became part of the adventure.

Book through our link and you’ll also receive an exclusive FREE Easy Start Pack.

🚐 Book your CampEasy campervan here:

https://campeasy.com/?tap_a=107011-a856e5&tap_s=8902128-1989f0

Stay Connected

Having reliable mobile data makes it easy to:

• Find nearby supermarkets.
• Check opening hours.
• Navigate between towns.

We always use Saily eSIM.

📱 Save 10% here:

https://go.saily.site/aff_c?offer_id=101&aff_id=15717

Our Supermarket Tips

• Shop at Bónus where possible.
• Refill a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water.
• Buy lunch from supermarkets to save money.
• Stock up before heading into remote areas.
• Don’t leave shopping until late evening if you’re relying on Bónus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the cheapest supermarket in Iceland?

In our experience, Bónus is generally the best choice for budget-conscious travellers. Krónan is also good value, while Nettó can be particularly useful for convenience and longer opening hours.

Is Bónus or Krónan cheaper?

Bónus is generally our first choice when trying to spend as little as possible. However, Krónan is still competitively priced, and prices vary between individual products and promotions.

Is Nettó more expensive than Bónus?

We’ve generally found Bónus better for budget shopping, while Nettó’s advantage is often convenience and opening hours. For a large shop we’d usually choose Bónus, but we regularly use Nettó while travelling around Iceland.

What is the best supermarket in Iceland for tourists?

There isn’t one supermarket that’s best for everyone. We recommend Bónus for keeping costs down, Krónan for a good all-round shopping experience, Nettó for convenience and Hagkaup when you need a much wider selection than groceries.

Are there supermarkets around Iceland’s Ring Road?

Yes. You’ll find supermarkets in towns around the Ring Road, including Reykjavík, Selfoss, Vík, Höfn, Egilsstaðir, Akureyri and Borgarnes. However, shops become less frequent in remote areas, so we recommend stocking up when you reach larger towns.

Can tourists pay by card in Icelandic supermarkets?

Yes. We’ve routinely used debit cards, credit cards and Apple Pay in Icelandic supermarkets, so carrying large amounts of cash isn’t normally necessary.

Final Thoughts

Supermarkets play a surprisingly important role in keeping the cost of an Iceland trip under control.

While all four major chains are good, we usually find ourselves heading straight for Bónus whenever we see the famous pink pig logo.

A few supermarket stops can save a lot of money over the course of your holiday, leaving you with more to spend on unforgettable experiences like geothermal lagoons, glacier hikes and whale watching.

Happy shopping—and enjoy your Iceland adventure!