Iceland Supermarket & Grocery Store Finder

Which chain to look for

The name on the sign tells you roughly what you will pay. Bónus (the pink pig) and Krónan are the discount chains, and they are where locals do the weekly shop. Nettó is a little dearer but often open longer. Hagkaup is a full-range department store with a grocery hall attached. Kjörbúðin and Samkaup cover a lot of small towns where nothing else exists.

Outside those, the shop attached to an N1, Olís or Orkan forecourt is the rural default. It will be open when nothing else is and it will cost substantially more per item, so if you are driving the Ring Road it is worth timing a real supermarket stop rather than restocking at the pump. Our fuel price comparison covers the same chains from the other direction, and the trip cost estimator will turn a daily food figure into a full trip budget.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the nearest grocery store in Iceland?

This page lists 244 named supermarkets and convenience stores across Iceland from OpenStreetMap data (extract 16 August 2026), with availability checked against current business listings on 16 August 2026. Use "Sort by nearest to me" to order them by distance from where you are standing, or filter by region. In Reykjavík you are rarely more than a few minutes from one; on the Ring Road outside towns the gap between shops can be 100 km or more, which is the real reason to check before you drive.

Which supermarket is cheapest in Iceland?

Bónus and Krónan are the two discount chains Icelanders use for a weekly shop, and they are consistently the cheapest for groceries. Nettó sits slightly above them but opens longer hours in some towns. Hagkaup is a full-range store and costs more. The small convenience shops attached to petrol stations (often the only option in rural areas or late at night) are the most expensive per item by a wide margin, so stocking up in a town is worth the detour.

What time do supermarkets open in Iceland?

There is no single answer, which is why the recorded hours are shown per store above rather than as one rule. Broadly: discount chains in the capital area open late morning to early evening, larger stores in Reykjavík run longer, and rural shops can close early and may shut entirely on Sundays and public holidays. Hours in OpenStreetMap are contributed by volunteers and can be out of date, so treat them as a strong hint and not a guarantee.

Can I buy alcohol in an Icelandic supermarket?

No. Beer, wine and spirits are sold only through the state chain Vínbúðin, which has its own limited opening hours and is closed on Sundays. Supermarkets sell low-alcohol beer only. This catches most first-time visitors out, so if you want a drink with dinner, buy it before Vínbúðin closes or at the airport duty-free on arrival.

Is food expensive in Iceland?

Yes, noticeably more than in most of Europe or North America, and self-catering is the single biggest saving available on an Iceland trip. Buying breakfast and lunch from a discount supermarket rather than eating out is usually the difference between a comfortable food budget and an uncomfortable one.