Denmark
How much does a trip to Denmark cost? Daily budget and prices
Budget DKK 560–1,070 per person per day as a backpacker, DKK 1,350–2,350 mid-range sharing a room, and DKK 3,200–6,400 for comfort. Copenhagen runs about 20% above Aarhus and Odense. Cards cover almost everything; cash is rarely needed. These are 2026 estimates.
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- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
GuideDenmark
Key facts
- Currency
- Danish krone (DKK, kr); the euro is not used
- Backpacker day
- DKK 560–1,070 (hostel dorm, supermarket food, public transport)
- Mid-range day
- DKK 1,350–2,350 (3★ hotel shared, lunch out, one dinner)
- Comfort day
- DKK 3,200–6,400 (design hotel, restaurants, taxis)
- Copenhagen premium
- About 20% above Aarhus or Odense
- Cards
- Accepted almost everywhere; some shops no longer take cash
- Tipping
- Service is included; tipping is not expected
- Peak price pressure
- Roskilde Festival week and December weekends raise hotel rates
Costs by travel style
The bed and the restaurant bill are what you feel in Denmark; the table below is per person per day, with mid-range and comfort figures assuming two people sharing a room. Flights, Tivoli rides and Legoland are not included.
Copenhagen sits about 20% above Aarhus and Odense for the same standard of bed and meal.
| Tier | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Extras | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | DKK 250–450 | DKK 200–300 | DKK 60–100 | DKK 0–120 | DKK 50–100 | DKK 560–1,070 |
| Mid-range | DKK 550–900 | DKK 450–700 | DKK 100–200 | DKK 150–300 | DKK 100–250 | DKK 1,350–2,350 |
| Comfort | DKK 1,300–2,500 | DKK 1,000–2,000 | DKK 300–600 | DKK 300–600 | DKK 300–700 | DKK 3,200–6,400 |
2026 estimate. Per person per day; mid-range and comfort assume a shared double room. Copenhagen costs more than the rest of the country.
What individual things cost
Use these to sanity-check a day. A coffee and a bakery bun is a cheap breakfast; a restaurant lunch with a beer is not. Supermarkets and bakeries are the biggest single lever on a Danish food budget.
Alcohol in bars is where a mid-range day quietly becomes a comfort day.
- Multi-journey cards or the DOT app can beat single paper tickets for several journeys a day (check current fares).
- Many museums are free on certain days or with a Copenhagen Card; check before you pay.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | DKK 40–55 |
| Smørrebrød, one piece in a restaurant | DKK 80–160 |
| Hot dog from a pølsevogn | DKK 40–60 |
| Draught beer in a bar | DKK 55–80 |
| Metro ticket, 2 zones | DKK 24–30 |
| Tivoli entry (rides extra) | DKK 160–200 |
Money in practice
Denmark uses the krone, not the euro. A few tourist-facing shops accept euro notes at a poor rate, so change money or pay by card instead. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, and some shops have stopped taking cash entirely, so carry a card even for small purchases.
Service is included in restaurant bills and tipping is not expected. Some foreign cards carry a small surcharge in shops and restaurants; by Danish rules it has to be shown before you pay, so watch the terminal.
- Currency: Danish krone (DKK, kr).
- Cards and phone payments accepted almost everywhere.
- Some shops no longer accept cash.
- Service included; no tipping expected.
- Card surcharges must be displayed before payment.
When prices rise
Danish hotel rates move more than restaurant prices. Roskilde Festival week and December weekends are the two predictable spikes in the year.
- Roskilde Festival week and December weekends raise hotel rates.
How to cut the bill
The three lines that matter are bed, food and alcohol. Hostels and rooms outside the centre, supermarket and bakery meals, and public transport instead of taxis can bring a day close to the backpacker band without skipping the sights.
Denmark is a biking country: a bike covers more ground than a metro ticket and is often the cheaper way to move around a city (check local rental prices).
- Sleep outside the city centre and use the metro or a bike.
- Eat one proper restaurant meal a day; supermarket or bakery for the rest.
- Buy alcohol at a supermarket rather than a bar.
- Rent a bike instead of buying day tickets (check prices).
- Use free sights, parks and outdoor spaces.
Questions people ask
How much money do you need per day in Denmark?
Budget DKK 560–1,070 per person per day as a backpacker, DKK 1,350–2,350 mid-range sharing a room, and DKK 3,200–6,400 for comfort. Copenhagen runs about 20% above Aarhus and Odense. These are 2026 estimates and exclude flights.
Is Denmark expensive for tourists?
Yes, on beds and restaurant food it is one of the pricier countries in Europe, similar to its Nordic neighbours. Transport, supermarkets and free outdoor sights are comparatively cheap, so a careful traveller can keep a day near DKK 600.
What do meals, hotels and transport cost in Denmark?
A café coffee is DKK 40–55, a pølsevogn hot dog DKK 40–60, a bar beer DKK 55–80, and a restaurant smørrebrød piece DKK 80–160. Hostel dorms start around DKK 250–450 and 3★ doubles around DKK 550–900. A 2-zone metro ticket is DKK 24–30.
Can I pay by card everywhere in Denmark?
Almost everywhere, including small kiosks and market stalls. Some shops no longer accept cash at all, so keep a card or phone payment ready. A few places add a small surcharge for foreign cards, which must be shown before you pay.
Do I need to tip in Denmark?
No. Service is included in the bill and tipping is not expected. Rounding up is fine but never required.
Is Copenhagen more expensive than the rest of Denmark?
Yes, roughly 20% more for the same standard of hotel room and meal. Aarhus and Odense are cheaper, and smaller towns and islands cheaper still. Roskilde Festival week and December weekends push Copenhagen hotel rates up further.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVisitDenmark
- officialVisitCopenhagen
- officialRejsekort & Rejseplanen (public transport)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Denmark