Is Copenhagen expensive?

Copenhagen is expensive for restaurants, alcohol and taxis, but cheaper than expected for culture and getting around. Two of its national museums are free, the harbour swimming is free, and cycling or the metro replaces costly taxis.

How much do you need per day in Copenhagen?

A careful traveller can manage on roughly 500 to 700 DKK per day excluding accommodation, by using free museums, bakery and food-hall meals, tap water and a bike or the metro. Dinners out push it higher quickly.

Do you tip in Copenhagen?

No. Service is included by law, so tipping is not expected. Rounding up for excellent service is appreciated but never required.

Home / On a budget

Budget guide

Copenhagen on a budget — what to save on, what to pay for.

Copenhagen will happily empty your wallet at dinner. It will also hand you world-class culture for free. The trick isn't being cheap — it's knowing exactly where the money matters and where it absolutely doesn't.

Updated June 2026

Quick answer: save on transport (cycle or metro, never taxis), drinks (tap water is superb; pre-game before bars), museums (two are free), and lunch (bakeries and food halls). Pay for one good dinner, one canal cruise, and a well-located bed. Budget roughly 500–700 DKK/day excluding your room, and tipping isn't expected.

Where to save (and not feel it)

Spend	The cheap move	Roughly saves
Getting around	Rent a bike or use the metro; skip taxis	200–400 kr/day
Water	Refill the tap — among the best in the world	40–80 kr/day
Museums	National Museum, SMK & David Collection are free	250–400 kr
Lunch	Bakery, food hall, or a harbour-side pølse	100–200 kr
Drinks	Buy from a supermarket; bars are brutal	100–300 kr/night

The free side of the city is genuinely deep — we've mapped it in free attractions worth your time.

Where to pay (because it's worth it)

Don't martyr the whole trip. Three things earn their cost: one proper dinner (New Nordic doesn't have to mean Noma — a neighbourhood tasting room or a great smørrebrød lunch does the job), one canal cruise for orientation, and a well-placed bed so you're not burning time and transit money commuting. A central base pays for itself in walked kilometres.

Find a well-priced central stay Book the orientation canal cruise

Local money tricks: carry nothing but a card (cash is pointless here). Tap on with a contactless card or the DOT app for transit. Eat your big meal at lunch, when the same kitchens cost a third less. And book accommodation the second your dates are set — late booking is where budgets die.

Bruise: the Copenhagen Card is only a saving if you're sprinting through paid sights every day. On a free-museum-heavy trip it can quietly cost you more than it saves — do the maths first.

A realistic daily budget

Lean but not miserable: ~60–90 kr breakfast, ~120–180 kr food-hall lunch, 0 kr museums, ~40 kr transport, ~350 kr if you cook the trip down to one nice dinner every other night. Call it 500–700 kr a day plus your room. Add a splurge dinner (from ~600 kr) when you want one.

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Keep the base cheap with where to stay by traveller type, and if it's your first trip, see what to book before you arrive so you don't overpay at the gate.

Budget questions, answered

Is Copenhagen really that expensive?

For restaurants, alcohol and taxis, yes. For culture and transport, no — free museums, free harbour swimming, and cheap, excellent public transport offset a lot.

How much per day?

Roughly 500–700 DKK a day excluding your room if you use the free side of the city. Dinners out raise it fast.

Do I tip?

No — service is included. Round up for something exceptional if you like, but it's never expected.

Official source: VisitCopenhagen.

A note on links: some links here are affiliate links. If you book through them, NordGuide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — and it never changes the advice, which is to spend where it counts and save everywhere else.

Planning the wider trip? Use the full Copenhagen travel guide for where to stay, what to book and what to skip.

Keep planning Copenhagen

Paid PDF guidesFinished Copenhagen routes delivered via Payhip. Book your tripHotels, tours, cars, paid guides and planning links. Canal toursPick the right water-based orientation. Where to stayChoose the right neighbourhood first. Best hotelsHotel decisions by area and travel style. Custom itineraryFor dates, pace or occasions that need tailoring.