Grocery stores in Iceland: where to shop
Eating out in Iceland is expensive, so grocery stores can save you a lot. For groceries on a budget, start by comparing Bónus, Krónan, Nettó and Prís. This is how the stores differ, and what to put in your basket.
The budget supermarkets
Bónus is the one with the pink pig on a yellow sign. It’s one of the best-known discount chains, with stores all over the country: simple shops, low prices and shorter opening hours.
Krónan is another budget chain, with a wide range, plenty of fresh food and an environmental focus. Many of its stores let you scan your shopping with your phone as you go.
Nettó is a discount chain run by Samkaup, with stores around Iceland, and some of them are open around the clock. Prís is a newer discount supermarket.
Bigger stores and local favourites
Hagkaup has large stores with groceries, clothing and plenty more. Prices are higher, and some stores are open 24 hours. In Hafnarfjörður, Fjarðarkaup is a large, well-known supermarket with a butcher’s counter and a good fruit and vegetable section. And in west Reykjavík, Melabúðin is a popular neighbourhood shop with a deli counter, a good place to look for local specialities.
Convenience stores
Krambúðin and Kjörbúðin are smaller neighbourhood and convenience stores, also run by Samkaup. 10-11 keeps long opening hours and is handy in the city centre, but you pay noticeably more for the convenience. Opening hours vary from store to store, and Sundays and holidays are the ones that catch people out.
Where to find a supermarket in Reykjavík
Downtown has mostly smaller shops. For a proper shop, head to one of the shopping areas with the bigger supermarkets: Kringlan, Smáralind (in Kópavogur), Skeifan, Mjódd, Austurver, Spöngin or Eiðistorg. Around Laugavegur you’ll find convenience stores and a few supermarkets.
Icelandic food worth buying
- Skyr: thick, high in protein and widely available. Eat it plain or with berries. Is skyr healthy?
- Rye bread (rúgbrauð), dark and sweet. Great with butter.
- Harðfiskur, dried fish that locals eat with butter as a snack.
- Flatkökur, soft flatbread, often topped with smoked lamb (hangikjöt).
- Icelandic sweets, often liquorice and chocolate. See our guide to Icelandic candy.
- Hot dog sauces: the mustard and remoulade from the famous Icelandic hot dog.
Before you check out
Bring a bag, because supermarkets charge for them. Imported fruit and vegetables tend to cost more than local products. You don’t need bottled water, as tap water in Reykjavík is safe to drink. Cards are widely accepted, including at self-checkouts.
Supermarkets only sell drinks up to 2.25% alcohol, and our guide to buying alcohol in Iceland explains the rest. Vegan? The bigger supermarkets have plant-based sections, and our vegan guide to Reykjavík has more.
Quick answers
What is the cheapest grocery store in Iceland?
Bónus, Krónan, Nettó and Prís are the budget chains. Prices vary by product, so compare. Convenience stores like 10-11 cost noticeably more.
Are there 24-hour grocery stores in Reykjavík?
A few. Some Hagkaup and Nettó stores are open around the clock, and 10-11 keeps long hours. Most Bónus stores close in the early evening.
Do Icelandic supermarkets sell alcohol?
Only drinks up to 2.25% alcohol. Wine, spirits and normal beer are sold in the state-run Vínbúðin shops.
Sources
Written by Elfar Tjörfi Steinason. We checked the facts in this article against these sources on 19 October 2026:
