As if being home to some of the happiest people on Earth wasn’t enough, Copenhagen only had to go and make itself one of the most interesting and coolest cities in the world as well. This city is a foodie’s stomping grounds, a cyclist’s dream, an explorer’s playground, and the perfect choice for a European getaway.There’s simply so much to do in this beautiful, world-class city.
While you’re there, you can’t miss the infamous hippie commune of Christiania: a society within a society with its own governing entity outside of Denmark’s regulations. Although residents of this community are protective of their space, they allow visitors to stroll the paths linking cute coffee shops, street art murals, and lines of outdoor vendors.
Canals are a huge part of Copenhagen’s draw, too. Whenever you’re walking beside one, you’ll likely have a smile on your face and a camera in your hand. Don’t put it down! You’ll need it when you scope out the Christiansborg Palace and Rosenborg Castle. Both are so beautiful and well-worth visiting. And of course there’s the famous Little Mermaid statue: it’s iconic, even if it was a lot smaller than I expected!
When it comes time to play like a kid, pencil in some time to visit an amusem*nt park. Tivoli Gardens is one of the biggest attractions in the country while Bakken is the oldest operating theme park in the world.It started in 1583!
And don’t forget that Denmark is the birthplace of hygge, the concept of cosiness and contentment that’s become extremely popular around the world in recent years. One of my favourite activities in Copenhagen was cafe-hopping in the rain, sitting in warm windows with candles on the table, drinking tea, and making full-use of the blankets on offer!
Unsurprisingly, given that Denmark is in Scandinavia, Copenhagen falls on the pricier side when it comes to visiting, but luckily, there are a wide variety of options that fit all budgets even with the post-pandemic travel boom.
If you’re on a tighter budget, you can opt for exploring the city on two wheels and by foot, and hostel-like accommodation is pretty affordable (and high quality). Most likely, your biggest expense will be eating out, but when the food is so spectacular, it’s definitely worth a splurge.
Today, I’m going to be sharing exactly how much you can expect to spend on a trip to Copenhagen. I’ve listed all prices in Danish krone (DKK) and US dollars. Let’s jump in.
How to Save Money on the Cost of Accommodation in Copenhagen
As always with travel, it’s possible to cut your accommodation costs down to zero if you have the time and patience to seek out an offer.
Couchsurfingexists in Denmark — and, of course, Copenhagen — and allows you to stay with a local for free, sleeping on their sofa and enjoying a local’s insight into life in their country. It’s not the most comfortable of living situations, but if your budget is tight, it’s worth sending out a few requests to hosts to see if anything comes of it. You can search for potential hostson the Couchsurfing site.
Housesittingis another option. This is where you’ll take care of somebody’s house for free while they’re away, and usually look after their pets, too. It’s best for long-term travellers or retirees: you can’t pick and choose dates and destinations, so you need to have a lot of flexibility as to where you go and at what time of year. If you do have that freedom, it’s a wonderful way to cut down your travel expenses, soak up some home comforts, and live like a local for a while.Trusted Housesittersis one of the best sites for getting started with housesitting.
I’m suspecting, though, that for most of you, you’re not interested in the free accommodation and just want somewhere clean, safe, and affordable to rest your head each night. If that’s the case, there are several options available.
The Cost of Accommodation in Copenhagen
CityHub Copenhagen – $82/563 DKK a night for a double room
Looking for a great budget option but still value things like cleanliness and privacy? CityHub is where you’ll find it. I’ve stayed in a few capsule hotels over the years, and this is by far the best I’ve come across, especially because it has private twin, double, or four-person bunk rooms, not just individual capsules.
Even though the double rooms are only 6m², the clever design makes them feel much bigger. There’s room for your luggage and to hang up clothes, individual climate control, USB charging ports, and even a Bluetooth speaker to play your own music, all in an immaculately clean space that’s very well soundproofed.
CityHub is in a great central location in Vesterbro, walkable to many attractions and a short metro ride to the rest. There’s a shared kitchen and living area, plenty of bathrooms, and even a self-service bar and sauna onsite! Much nicer than most hostels I’ve stayed at but at a similar price, it’s the ideal place for travellers on a budget.
Zoku Copenhagen – $171/1174 DKK a night for a double room
If you’re on a mid-range budget but still want to stay in a place with all the amenities and in a good location, I’d recommend Zoku Copenhagen. Each stylish loft-style room has a double bed (there are a few four-person versions as well), with its own kitchen, bathroom, and plenty of storage space. If you need things like more soap or an extra pillow or towel, there’s a “pantry” on each floor where you can just help yourself: why don’t more hotels have this?!
Zoku is a particularly good place to stay if you need to get a bit of work done while you’re in town: the whole place is designed with that option in mind. The Wi-Fi is super-fast, each room has a four-person table and chairs inside, and there are co-working, social, and event spaces on the top floor as well.
The nearby metro station is only three stops from the central city, and the huge Amarmino nature reserve is less than a five minute walk away. It’s a wonderful spot to wander when the sun is out: if you’re planning to walk into the city, I’d highly recommend taking the scenic route!
Charlottehaven – $344/2362 DKK a night for a studio apartment
If you want a high-end experience and plenty of space, this gorgeous aparthotel is where you’ll find it. For a similar price to a high-end hotel, you get everything from a kitchen and washer/dryer to a private balcony and sunny daybed, plus all the onsite amenities you’d expect like a fitness centre (complete with squash courts and exercise classes) and a cafe.
Danish design is rightly famous the world over, and Charlottehaven is a prime example: the rooms are simply beautiful, and feel super-cozy no matter the weather outside. Speaking of the weather, you’ll always know what it’s doing: the rooms have huge floor-to-ceiling windows, and the upper floors have incredible views out over the harbour and downtown Copenhagen.
Located in stylish Østerbro, a quiet and family-friendly part of the city, there are loads of great cafes and restaurants nearby. When it’s time to go further afield, you’re only a two-minute walk from Nordhavn Station, a ten-minute walk to Svanemølle Beach, and a ten-minute bike ride from the central city. Bikes can be rented from reception as well, so that’s a super-convenient way of getting around.
The Cost of Transportation in Copenhagen
Spend two minutes outside in Copenhagen and you can’t help but notice how many people are riding past on bicycles. All I can say is: feel free to join them! This is one of the most cycling-friendly cities in the world: there are over 450km of bike paths that go anywhere you’d want to be, and more bikes on the streets than cars.
Getting hold of a bike during your stay is very easy. Many accommodation owners offer them for free or to rent at a reasonable rate, but if yours doesn’t, just keep an eye out for ride-sharing bikes with the Donkey Republic logo. Chances are you won’t have to look very hard: the bikes seemed to be everywhere on my last visit!
To use them, just download the app, which lets you find and pay for your bike, lock and unlock it, and end your ride once you’re at one of the (many) drop off locations around the city. The longer you ride, the cheaper it is: a one-hour rental costs $6/39 DKK, while four hours costs $13.50/90 DKK. Day rates are available as well, starting at $16/110 DKK. E-bikes cost more: an hour on one of those will set you back $11/75 DKK.
If you’d prefer not to travel under your own steam, public transport is a breeze. It’s an integrated system across buses, trains, “harbour buses” (ferries), and metros, operating on a zone-based system. A single trip costs 22.25 DKK for the smallest two-zone ticket. Day passes are also available: they start at $13.50/90 DKK for a 24-hour pass that covers the inner parts of the city and the airport, which is ideal for most visitors. You can buy tickets in the DOT app, or from machines at train and metro stations.
The Copenhagen Card gives unlimited use of the transportation system along with various discounts and free entry into many city attractions. Tickets cost $70/480 DKK for 24 hours and $102/700 DKK for 48 hours, so make sure you’ll get enough use out of them. They usually work out cheaper if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing at paid attractions, but may not otherwise.
Taxis are plentiful but pricey! You can expect to pay around $45-60/300-400 DKK from the airport to the city center, while a single ticket for the same route on the train only costs $4/26.50 DKK and takes just 20 minutes. The train would always be my choice unless I had a lot of luggage: it was clean, comfortable, and departed right on time when I took it!
The Cost of Food in Copenhagen
Traditional Danish food is built on pork, cabbage, root vegetables, and beets, but although the Danes have kept many original Nordic staples, the cuisine has definitely evolved over time! These days, Copenhagen is a world-class dining destination, and your taste buds are in for a treat.
Breakfast typically consists of a Danish pastry, grød (milk with oats), or a soft-boiled egg with rye bread and butter. Fun fact: what the rest of the world knows as a Danish pastry is called wienerbrød in Denmark, which means Viennese bread! That’s where the pastry originated from, although the Danes have since made the recipe their own.
Expect to pay around $6/40 DKK for a pastry in a cafe, around $7.50/50 DKK for a simple version of grød, and the same for a morgenkomplet, which is a soft-boiled egg on rye bread, often with yoghurt. A good latte will set you back about $5/35 DKK.
Speaking of grød, while the word itself simply means porridge in Danish, it comes in many more forms than just the standard breakfast dish you might be used to. Curries, risottos, Asian-style congee: they’re all grød! As a result, don’t be surprised to see it on the menu for lunch or dinner as well: you’ll pay around $12.50-$15/80-100 DKK for these more substantial versions.
Smørrebrød is extremely popular, and while this open-faced sandwich concept has spread to many other countries, it’s the Danes that invented and perfected it. Honestly, I’d be amazed if you managed to leave Copenhagen without trying at least one. A slice of thin but dense rye bread is topped with fish or meat and veggies, and sprinkled with a sauce of some kind. While herring is the traditional topping, there’s a near-endless variety of options these days. You’ll find smørrebrød almost anywhere, from fancy gourmet versions at a high-end restaurant that could cost as much as $29/200 DKK to quick and easy sandwiches from a street vendor that go for more like $6/40 DKK.
Speaking of street food, there’s been a real surge in street food markets in the capital in the last few years, making delicious cheap eats more widely available. Locals love them, and you will too: look out for local dishes like frikadeller(meatballs), rød pølse (red sausage), and Æbleskiver (a deep-fried dough ball stuffed with apple), alongside a dizzying array of other quick eats from around the world. You’ll typically pay $5-7/35-50 DKKfor these sorts of dishes, making this a very affordable way to eat.
Dinner is likely to be your most expensive meal, although you can try to keep costs down by seeking out restaurant specials on larger lunch dishes and then having something smaller later in the day. In general, though, expect to pay around $30-40/205-275 DKK for dinner at a good mid-range restaurant, and more (often substantially more) once you hit the high-end places.
Alcohol is expensive in Denmark, especially at bars and in restaurants. If you’re trying to save money, opt for water or soft drinks with your meal, and pick up your booze from the supermarket to enjoy at home instead.
At a bar, you’ll typically pay $8-10/55-70 DKK for a pint of local beer, and often a bit more for craft or imported versions. A glass of wine will set you back about $12/80 DKK, while co*cktails can get very spendy: it’s not unusual for them to cost $20/135 DKK or more, especially at high-end bars. By contrast, a 500ml can of domestic beer costs about $2/14 DKK at the supermarket, while a bottle (not a glass!) of decent wine is around $10/70 DKK.
In fact, if you are looking to save money during your trip, plan to spend more time in a grocery store than a restaurant. Netto and Lidl are the best budget-friendly options to load up on food for a few days. As an example, here’s what you can expect to pay for basic staples:
- Loaf of bread:$1/7.50 DKK
- Dozen eggs:$3/19 DKK
- Kilogram of tomatoes:$2.20/15 DKK
- Litre of milk:$1.20/8.20 DKK
- Kilogram of potatoes:$0.80/5.60 DKK
- Kilogram of chicken thighs:$7/49 DKK
The takeaway from all this? Have the free breakfast at a hotel (if they offer it!), opt for larger meals at lunch and smaller ones at dinner time, and buy basic items and alcohol from the supermarket instead of eating and drinking out for every meal, and you’ll save a bunch of money on food and drink!
The Cost of Activities in Copenhagen
The capital of Denmark is anything but a sleepy town. In fact, the streets and bike paths are full of people milling about at any given hour, especially during the long summer days where the sun doesn’t set until 10pm. There’s so much to see and do in this city that you’ll be glad of all that extra daylight!
To some, Tivoli Gardens is more of a magnet than the city itself. The famous theme park is full of rides such as loop-de-loop roller coasters, carousels and countless other dizzying rides. A single-day admission starts at $21/140 DKK, which probably sounds quite cheap until you realise that doesn’t include any of the rides! A combo entrance and unlimited ride pass starts at $61/419 DKK. Both of those ticket options cost more at weekends and during the summer months.
The Little Mermaid statue, adjacent to Langelinie Promenade, is easily the most famous landmark in the city. Inspired by a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, Edvard Eriksen sculpted the piece in 1913 to honor the Danish author. The statue itself is quite small and honestly unimpressive, but the story behind it makes it worth a quick visit.
Exploring Copenhagen doesn’t have to be expensive. On one of the days I was in town, for instance, I rented a bike from my hotel for the day and then cycled through through Christiania, visited the Little Mermaid statue and explored Nahavn New Harbour, all in about four hours. That also gave me plenty of time grab a coffee and lunch along the way and everywhere I visited was free to enter!
When you tire of all the sightseeing, head to Strøget and browse at one of the largest pedestrian shopping malls in the world. It’s a busy place, with plenty of high-end shops. If you’re looking for fewer big brands and smaller crowds, head towards the Old City and turn down random small alleways: this is where you’ll find local boutiques, not to mention some of the cheaper bars and restaurants in the city. I found the best-kept secrets in Copenhagen were found down these side streets. Make sure to explore!
If you don’t feel like exploring by yourself, there are several tour operators happy to help you make the most of your time in the city. These are a few of the better options to choose from:
- 3-hour city highlights bike tour– $50/340 DKK
- Best of Copenhagen photo tour– $120/825 DKK
- 3-hour culinary bike tour- $99/680 DKK
- Canal tour from Nyhavn– $21/145 DKK
Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance!
If you’ve read any other posts on Never Ending Footsteps, you’ll know that I’m a great believer in travelling with travel insurance. I’ve seen far too many Go Fund Me campaigns from destitute backpackers that are unexpectedly stranded in a foreign country after a scooter accident/being attacked/breaking a leg with no way of getting home or paying for their healthcare. These costs can quickly land you with a six-figure bill to pay at the end of it.
In short, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.
Travel insurancewill cover you if your flight is cancelled and you need to book a new one, if your luggage gets lost and you need to replace your belongings, if you suddenly get struck down by appendicitis and have to be hospitalised, or discover a family member has died and you need to get home immediately. If you fall seriously ill, your insurance will cover the costs to fly you home to receive medical treatment.
I useSafetyWingas my travel insurance provider, and recommend them for trips to Denmark. Firstly, they’re one of the few companies out there who will actually cover you if you contract COVID-19. On top of that, they provide worldwide coverage, don’t require you to have a return ticket, and even allow you to buy coverage after you’ve left home. If you’re on a long-term trip, you can pay monthly instead of up-front, and can cancel at any time. Finally, they’re more affordable than the competition, and have a clear, easy-to-understand pricing structure, which is always appreciated.
With SafetyWing, you’ll pay$1.50 a dayfor travel insurance.
How Much Does It Cost to Travel in Copenhagen?
Wrapping it all up, these are the costs from my last trip to Copenhagen, traveling on a mid-range budget with my partner in shoulder season:
Accommodation:$171/1132 DKK per day between two ($85.50/566 DKK each)
Transportation:$21/145 DKK per day
Food:$52/357 DKK per day
Activities:$37/254 DKK per day
Total amount spent per person per day: $195.50/1342 DKK
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