How to travel Copenhagen cheaply – a full budget guide
When it comes to European cities, Copenhagen is definitely one of the best destinations you can visit. A lively city with stunning views wherever you go. But at the same time, Copenhagen is one of the most expensive cities for travellers. You will quickly notice that enjoying the city to the fullest also means having quite a high budget. It starts from the costs for the hotel, the prices for food and drinks and special tourist attractions. At the first glance, budget travellers really seem to have a hard time enjoying Copenhagen. But is it even possible to travel Copenhagen for cheap? The answer is YES. Here are the best tips on how to travel Copenhagen cheaply and on a budget.
How expensive is Copenhagen really?
There is no doubt: Copenhagen really is an expensive destination. Which is no surprise, because all cities in Scandinavia are all but budget friendly. Surely, you can adapt a trip to Denmark´s capital to any budget. Here are a few examples which can help you get a better image of the costs to expect when travelling Copenhagen:
- Dorm room: 170 – 250 DKK (23 – 32 Euros)
- Hotel room: from around 350 DKK (from 40 Euros)
- Pizza Magherita: 80-110 DKK (11 – 15 Euros)
- Beer (0.3l): 45-55 DKK (6 – 7,30 Euros)
- Aperol Spritz: 90-110 DKK (12 – 15 Euros)
- Coffee: 35-45 DKK (4,70 – 6 Euros)
The detailed prices can also vary depending on the time you visit Copenhagen. During the summer months, the city is even more expensive, and you can save some money when travelling during the off-season. Still, it really is a challenge to travel Copenhagen cheaply and even then, you might still need to widen your budget a little bit. But see for yourself.
Explore the city on foot
This might always be the number 1 tip when it comes to budget travelling a city. In Copenhagen, transport is not the cheapest (still affordable, but we gotta save wherever we can, right?). The best way to save some money while exploring the city is to simply do it on foot. Walk wherever you can and take the chance to see even more of the stunning city. Especially in Copenhagen, walking everywhere you go is not even annoying. The complete opposite: it is so much fun. Why? Because you will quickly notice how beautiful the city is. Every street is full of stunning architecture and small details which can only be explored while walking. It stands out that Copenhagen is not only pretty in the city center and the touristy areas, but also the remote parts of the city are worth visiting. Therefore: bring shoes you can walk in comfortably and explore the city with a looong walk.
Use bikes for longer distances
If walking is not an option or if the way is simply too long, the cheapest way in Copenhagen are the bikes. Actually, it is quite popular to ride a bike in Copenhagen and many locals use it as their daily mean of transportation. This might be the reason why you can choose from multiple bike sharing companies. You can expect to pay around 120 DKK (around 17 Euros) for a full day rental. The most popular company is Bycyklen which is the official bike sharing program of Copenhagen).
Bikes will allow you to explore the wider areas of the city – perfect if you do not want to miss out on anything.
Book a hostel or hotel room instead of an Airbnb
Accommodation might be one of the most expensive aspects when it comes to travelling Copenhagen. Differently to other Scandinavian destinations, Airbnb does not offer much of the budget friendly options. Therefore, if you want to travel Copenhagen cheaply and on a budget, skip Airbnb and look for cheap hotel rooms on booking.com or a hostel room.
Cheap options can be found in the area around the Central station for example. It might take a bit of research, but there are cheaper options available for your stay in Copenhagen. Make sure to check the off-seasons for better deals and avoid weekends and public holidays.
Avoid the touristy areas for food and drinks
For a drink and something to eat you will pay twice as much at Nyhavn than in other, less touristy, areas. Therefore, one of the best tips to travel Copenhagen on a budget is to look out for the places you go out to eat or have a drink. Because there really are some massive differences in the city. The typical touristy areas, such as Nyhavn, are extremely overpriced. Not the place to be for a budget traveller!
Cheaper areas are the Meatpacking District or Frederiksberg or København V. The number 1 tip here is as always: follow the locals!
Focus on free things to do and see
Spending a lot of money on attractions and things to do? This is a big no when it comes to budget travelling. Copenhagen is full of overprized activities and attractions which for sure do not fit into your budget. Luckily, there is a long list of free things to do and see in Copenhagen which will allow you to explore the city cheaply.
The most popular free activities are a visit to the Little Mermaid or the Amalienborg Palace. And of course not to forget about the stroll along Nyhavn, a visit to Christiania and the stunning architecture which you can see basically wherever you go.
It becomes clear that exploring Copenhagen and really seeing the best side of the city does not necessarily involve spending a lot of money. You can choose the free things only and still have a great time without missing out on anything!
Use Too Good To Go
A little Pro tip for your food during your trip to Copenhagen: download the App Too Good To Go. This is a food-saving app which will show you the best locations to get cheap food which would otherwise be thrown away. For example, spot some nice Danish bakeries which cheap bread right before closing. Or get a healthy bowl at the restaurant next door from the day before – simply check it out and you will be amazed by what you can actually find in there.
Grab the food and have a nice picnic!
Join a Free Walking Tour
No budget city trip without a free walking tour, right? This is a popular offer for travellers who like to keep it cheap but still want to see all the highlights. The free walking tours in Copenhagen are run by local guides. You can check them out via Copenhagen Free Walking Tour – and do not forget to leave at least a little tip for the guide at the end of your tour!
Go on a canal cruise on Public Transport
A popular way of exploring Copenhagen is from the water. Many tourists decide to go on a boat trip to see the city from a different perspective. Surely, this can be quite expensive. But do not worry, there is a cheap option coming around for you. Boats are also used for public transportation in Copenhagen. They are much cheaper than the sightseeing cruises and offer the same views and an equally memorable experience. The public harbor busses operate between the Royal Library and the Little Mermaid and also have stops at Nyhavn and the Royal Opera House.
Good to know: if you have a 24-hour ticket for the public transportation (or bought via Skånetrafiken if you are travelling from Sweden), these boats are included.
Avoid drinking alcohol or going out
This might be a hard one to swallow if you want to travel Copenhagen cheap and on a budget: avoid drinking (too much) alcohol and going out. Yes, alcohol is one of the most expensive things when it comes to exploring Copenhagen. Beer and long drinks are all but cheap and therefore, a night out can cost you up to 100 euros – not so ideal, right?
Avoid the summer months
The prices in Copenhagen hugely depend on the time you are travelling. If you have at least a little bit of flexibility, make sure to avoid the summer months as the prices usually rise extremely from mid-June. Great months to travel Copenhagen and not freeze you’re a** off are March, April, May or September.
Get the Copenhagen Card
IF you really want to see a lot from the city and also plan to visit the museums and different attractions for which you need to pay, the Copenhagen Card would be an option. It will give you some good discounts and helps you save quite a lot of money during your trip. The best option is to get the 24-hour card, but if you inted to use it for longer, there is also a 48-hour option available.
- approx. 60 Euros for 24 hours
- approx. 99 Euros for 48 hours
Click here to purchase it.
Eat on the streets
Who would have thought that Copenhagen is a street food paradise? A big plus for all the budget travellers, that’s for sure. During the summer months, you will have multiple street food markets to choose from. They offer cheaper foods than in the restaurants but will still allow you to eat a little fancy. Perfect combo, right?
Apart from the street food markets, you will find stalls where you can buy the traditional Danish hot dog, have some crêpes or waffles.
Book in advance
If possible, book your trip in advance to travel Copenhagen cheaply and on a budget. The city is known to be quite expensive if you book last minute. This will help you save a bit of money and maybe you will even find some great deals.
Copenhagen on a budget – it is possible!
To sum it up: there are different options on how to travel Copenhagen cheaply and on a budget. It might take a bit more effort to find the cheaper hotels, the cheaper restaurants or the cheapest train ticket – but it is all worth it and possible. Do not let your tight budget hinder you from visiting Copenhagen. Because after all, it still is one of the best cities to visit in Europe and will guarantee an amazing time, no matter what your budget is.
Click here to get a better insight into the best things to do in Copenhagen.
Planning a day trip to Sweden? I got you.
