How to get a cheap pint in Copenhagen and other tips
There is a misconception Denmark has the same alcohol pricing as their Scandinavian cousins Norway and Sweden, where alcohol is very expensive. Copenhagen supermarkets sell alcohol at similar or cheaper prices than a British supermarket. Danish supermarkets include Netto, Fakta, Føtex, Brugsen, Aldi and Lidl. There is also a very wide range of prices that a beer can cost from bar to bar.
Photo in Danish supermarket from 2020. 55 DKK for 12 cans. That is less than 50p per can, 65 cents US. (small cans 33cl) Carlsberg and Heineken would be a similar price. Not a particular special offer.
A seven quid pint
There are bars where a beer can be expensive. A 70 DKK (£7 plus, $10 plus) pint is not unheard of. The places you will find this are Copenhagen Airport, Tivoli, Nyhavn, restaurants and Irish Bars on busy, expensive properties. Much like London, Paris, Rome, capital cities with large volumes of tourists. You go a street behind a main thoroughfare, and you should find a better priced pint, or whatever your tipple.
The price for a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey in a Danish supermarket in 2024 is 180 kroner for a 70cl bottle. That is around 18 – 20 UK pounds.
How to get a cheap pint in Copenhagen airport. In the 7-11 kiosks that are dotted about Copenhagen airport, a large cold can of Carlsberg is about 15 kroner (£1.50 – a little over $2) per can, as opposed to 7 quid plus ($10 plus) for a pint in an airport bar. Or a warm can from duty free (same price).
A personal opinion on Copenhagen Airport is Copenhagen Kommune (municipality) ought to have a word with them about their pricing. Often the last impression people have of Copenhagen is being robbed by one of their airport’s bars.
Nyhavn budget tip: Nyhavn is the colourful harbour of most Copenhagen postcards and travel documentaries. On a warm summer’s day, a fantastic experience to sit and enjoy a drink, coffee or something to eat, but not cheap. Notice at the quayside young Danes sitting enjoying the sunshine and a beer with friends. They will have bought a can or bottle of beer at a kiosk on one of the back streets of Nyhavn. And then pop back for a nice cold replacement when they need it.
Budget travel in Copenhagen
A huge part of central Copenhagen is walkable. It was originally a fortified castle. So the old city is very tightly packed. Depending where your hotel is, you should be able to walk pretty much everywhere. Very obvious tip, but while looking for a hotel, look for one close to a Metro station. The metro runs directly to the airport. About twenty minutes from the centre.
Just to show Danish design is not always cool, sophisticated and expertly planned (but usually), the Metro (or Underground) train, is upstairs at the airport. The mainline train is downstairs. Make sure you are on the correct platform for the mainline train, if you are not, your next stop is Sweden.
I’m not sure what advice the train ticket office in the airport give tourists for a long weekend. I was once behind tourists being recommended a weekend travel pass, which I suspect was not needed. You really need a ticket to and from the centre from the airport. After that, if you cycle (hire a bike for about£10 per day), or are up for a good walk, you should be fine.
I would recommend to everyone to hire a bike as it’s a fantastic way to get around the city, and the bike lanes being on their own pavement separate from the road and the pedestrian pavement make it very safe.
Here’s the official ticket/travel Copenhagen info. www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/transportation/tickets-prices
Cigarettes
Cigarettes are considerably cheaper than the UK. And some bars allow smoking. The rule is that a bar under 40 square metres may allow smoking. Quite a few do. Maybe not so good for your health to be in a tightly packed room filled with smoke but each to their own. You can also wonder at how 40 square metres appears a bit bigger in Copenhagen than everywhere else. The same people who won’t cross the road if the red man is showing, even if there is no traffic, know how to break a rule or three.
Visiting Christiania
The free town of Christiania is a very nice place to visit. A society within a society. Lots of arty workshops, galleries, music venues and alternative restaurants and bars. There are also soft drugs on sale, quite openly depending on how busy Copenhagen’s police are with other stuff at that time.
Top tip. If you were to buy a ready made joint, and were to think, probably not that strong, at that price, just £2, I’ll be fine, do I look like I can’t handle a little…
An entire evening’s drama and entertainment in one£2 joint. I heard from a friend.
So take it easy with that first joint. No matter how hard core you are.
This official tourist website is a brilliant resource for things to do in Copenhagen. www.visitcopenhagen.com
And if you are considering moving to Copenhagen, here’s my tips on learning Danish.
About Copenhagen based designer and illustrator Iain Cameron. Also here’s my portfolio.
I should probably end this by saying skål!
