Bottled Water More Expensive Than Petrol

Buying bottled water in Iceland is not only completely unnecessary; it might also be even more expensive than fuelling up your rental car.

The pristine quality of Iceland’s tap water may be well known to many, but bottled water remains a popular product for many visitors to the country. However, RÚV reports, buying water of comparable quality to that which comes out of the kitchen sink may prove up to 50% more expensive per volume than even petrol.

Petrol in Iceland costs, on average, about 220 ISK per litre. Filling a 50-litre fuel tank can therefore cost about 11,000 ISK. By contrast, 100 half-litre bottles of Icelandic water, when purchased from gas stations or smaller shops, can add up to as much as 21,000 ISK total.

A gas station attendant that RÚV spoke with said that Icelanders very rarely buy bottled water. Instead, most locals prefer to fill up on water using the hose from the car washing portion of the lot. Tourists would be well advised to take a cue from the Icelanders, and save some money along the way.