Copenhagen travel costs: how expensive is it? A complete guide

Find out the travel costs of Copenhagen, with the average prices for transportation, accommodation, food and the main tourist attractions!

When you are planning a trip, the cost is something that (almost) always is in our minds. The costs of travelling somewhere might define how many days we spend there or if we actually go there. Thus, it is necessary to have a clear idea of the different expenses associated with a specific trip. For example, a flight to India might be expensive, but the accommodation and food can be very cheap, making the trip worth it.

This guide focuses on Copenhagen and its travel costs. It is not a cheap city, and from the moment you set foot in the county, you will see how prices are not a joke, especially if you compare them with other European countries like Spain, Italy, or even France. Denmark, where Copenhagen is located is a Nordic Country (also Scandinavian) and is known for having a high quality of life, but it comes with additional costs. These are the main costs for a trip to Copenhagen!

Copenhagen accommodation costs

Unless you have friends willing to host you in Copenhagen, you will need to find a place to stay. The “bad” news is that accommodation is not cheap. The “good” news is that it is possible to save money and find good places with some planning.

Depending on your budget, your need for privacy and for how long you’ll be staying in the city, you can either stay in a Hotel, Hostel or an apartment/Airbnb. Here you have an overview of the most common prices and what would suit your travel style best

Hotels

Hotels in Copenhagen are not cheap, but most of them are great. Don’t expect to find rooms for under 100€/night. In fact, the average price for a 3-star hotel at a good location would be around 150€-200€ per night for a room for 2 people. If you are into luxury travel, there are some top-notch options in Copenhagen, of course, at a top-notch price as well.

A hotel would be the best option if you are in Copenhagen for a short stay, want some privacy, and if you expect to mostly eat out (see below the prices of eating out).

Hostels

The main competitor of hotels in Copenhagen is hostels, but their costs are more like the ones of cheap hotels in some European cities. In most of southern Europe, you can find hostel rooms for as cheap as 20€ per night (or even cheaper). Hostels come at a cost of 30-50€ per night in a shared room in Copenhagen, booking some time in advance and not during high season (although prices don’t fluctuate that much).

Nonetheless, these prices are considerably lower than the ones of hotels, and it is a popular choice among younger travellers, as well as groups of friends.

A hostel might be a great choice for short to medium stays if you don’t mind sharing room and facilities, and if you find a kitchen handy, as you might want to save some money by cooking some meals. It is also a great choice for solo travellers, as hostels are a great place to make friends from all over the world.

Apartments & Airbnb

An apartment or Airbnb is a hotel room with more facilities and no room service. However, they come at a considerably high cost in Copenhagen. Prices vary depending on the season and mostly the length of the stay. For a 1-week stay at a well-located Airbnb for 2 people, the average price per night is 200€. There are weekly discounts, and the possibility to find cheaper places, but they are still way more expensive than a hostel bed. In fact, the prices are similar to the ones for a hotel room, but with more space and a kitchen.

If you are travelling with a group of friends or staying in Copenhagen for a medium-long stay, I would recommend an apartment, unless you really don’t need a private space.

Other accommodation options

If none of the options above convinces you, there are other accommodation options at other costs when visiting Copenhagen.

Maybe the most well-known one is Couchsurfing, where you stay on someone’s couch for one or a few nights at no cost. However, in recent years, with the paywall Couchsurfing added to the app, some people have stopped using it.

Other options, if you don’t mind staying outside of the city could be camping areas. And of course, if you are travelling with a van, you can either stealth camp or find an appropriate spot to sleep.

Copenhagen transportation costs

When you visit a foreign country, moving around is always a challenge. Some places have a better quality transport system, that makes things easier, while others are real nightmares. Thankfully, Copenhagen belongs to the first group. Yet, before speaking about how to move around Copenhagen, let’s talk about how to get there.

Getting to Copenhagen

As a European capital, Copenhagen is well-connected with its nearby countries, such as Germany and Sweden. As also listed in my Copenhagen travel guide, there are three main methods of transportation to get to Copenhagen. Additionally, you can rent a car or drive your own to get there, but this guide mainly covers the shared means of transport costs. Just note that Denmark is among the countries where gas is more expensive in the world.

By train

Of course, the price of the ticket will depend on the place where you travel from. But two of the most common routes into Copenhagen by train are Hamburg (Germany) and Stockholm (Sweden). For example, a direct ticket from Hamburg to Copenhagen costs around 35€ (5h), and a direct ticket from Stockholm to Copenhagen costs around 40€ (5h). A very reasonable price, considering that you are crossing country borders.

By bus

If trains are cheap, buses are even cheaper, but with the downside of taking way more time. Europe is very well connected with long-distance buses, most of them run by Flixbus.

Taking the same routes as compared by train, a bus ticket from Hamburg to Copenhagen costs around 24€ (6h) and from Stockholm to Copenhagen 40€ (11h). As you can see, it is not that much cheaper to travel from Sweden.

However, the cheap prices of taking buses come when you take longer routes. For example, it is possible to go from Amsterdam to Copenhagen by train, changing only in Hamburg for 52€ (18h). The same route by train (2 changes) costs around 90€ and takes 10h. Travel times start to add up, so then it is when planes come in handy.

By plane

Planes are, without any doubt, the most common way to get to Copenhagen from Europe and overseas. The international airport of Copenhagen (CPH) received 22.1 million passengers in 2022. Flights from most European capital cities are ridiculously cheap, with flights from Spain or Italy from 40€ (low-cost airlines like Vueling).

Once in the airport, though, unlike the two other mentioned transportation methods, one has to get to the city centre, and that comes to an added cost.

How much it costs to go from Copenhagen airport to the city centre?

Luckily, Copenhagen airport is very well connected to the city centre. In fact, there is a metro line that goes from the airport arrivals terminal to the heart of the city. To go from Copenhagen airport to the city centre, take the M2 line. A one-way ticket costs 4.84€ and takes less than 15 minutes!

Copenhagen public transportation system

Copenhagen’s public transportation system is complete and efficient. The main public transportation options are bus, metro and train. Like in many other cities, the prices for travel cards and single tickets depending on the zone or area you want to travel to. For almost all tourist attractions and main sights, you won’t be changing zones.

However, if you visit further locations or if you go explore the surroundings of Copenhagen, you will most likely change from one zone to the other. Another moment where you will change zones is when going to the airport.

To find out what is the fastest way from your location to your destination, Google Maps usually works well.

What is the price of a single ticket in Copenhagen?

A single ticket for 2 zones, costs 24DKK. Official source here. However, if you plan on using the metro, train and bus quite often, consider the City Pass. A 24h ticket for zones 1-4 costs 80DKK; 150DKK for 48h, 200DKK for 72h and 250 for 96h. Check the link above (official page) for more information on them.

Tickets can be acquired at all metro stations, at Seven-Eleven kiosks, or online, either via the official webpage or using the DOT app (IOS/Android).

Other transportation methods

There are two other methods of transportation in Copenhagen worth mentioning, and one is 100% free. Of course, it is walking. The city is not that big, and it is worth not taking the fast route most of the time.

If walking seems slow to you though, you can rent a bike. The city is full of bikes from third-party companies, which by downloading an app and introducing your payment data can be rented in situ. Prices vary on the time and type of bike. If you are interested in renting a bike, ask at your accommodation, as they might have cheaper options. Copenhagen is a very bike-friendly city, so don’t be afraid to merge into the rush of bikes!

Copenhagen food costs

Eating is one of the costs that are impossible to reduce when travelling, either in Copenhagen or anywhere else. However, eating in Copenhagen can be particularly painful for your bank account. Services prices in Denmark are like in countries like Switzerland, Germany and Austria: high. In fact, they compare more to the ones in Switzerland than to the ones in Germany or Austria. However, food can be obtained from multiple places. Let’s dive into restaurant costs and supermarket costs in Copenhagen.

Supermarkets prices

It is expected that the monthly food expense in Copenhagen is no less than 240€ for one person. Based on that information, you can compare it with the prices in your country or area.

Groceries in Copenhagen are not that expensive when compared with restaurant prices, though. Getting some snacks or ready-to-go meals in supermarkets is. a great alternative and a way to save money in Copenhagen.

The cheapest supermarket brands to go to are:

• Netto
• Rema1000
• Aldi
• Lidl

Another supermarket that I liked for the quality of its food, but that was definitely not among the cheapest ones was Irma, with great vegetables and fruit and healthy options.

Restaurant prices

Eating out in Copenhagen is a great experience thanks to the quality and variety of options that the city offers. Nonetheless, it can be quite expensive.

Expect to pay around 15-25€ in non-expensive restaurants for a full meal. Prices can rapidly escalate to 100€ or more per person, depending on the type of restaurant and the area. However, it is possible to eat out in cheaper places, such as Gasoline Grill, where a burger costs around 10€, and has been named one of the best burgers in the world according to Bloomberg.

Copenhagen main tourist attraction costs

As in most European cities, Copenhagen is ready for tourists and visitors, and some of its tourist attractions can only be accessed by purchasing a ticket. Luckily, most of Copenhagen’s iconic places are free. Nonetheless, this is a list with the prices as of 2023 of some relevant tourist attractions.

• Rundetårn: 40DKK – 5.4€
• Rosengard Castle: 125DKK – 16.8€
• Christiansborg palace: Combined ticket 175DKK – 23.5€
• Amalienborg – 120DKK – 16.1€
• National Museum: 120DKK – 16.1€
• Copenhagen opera house: 120DKK – 16.1€
• Copenhagen aquarium: 185DKK – 24.9€
• Copenhagen zoo: 209DKK – 28.1€
• Danish Architecture Centre: 115DKK – 15.5€ (depends on the exhibit)
• Tivoli: 155DKK – 20.8€
• Copenhagen Contemporary: 120DKK – 16.1€

As you can see, prices are quite consistent between 120 and 200DKK per attraction. Unless you have a lot of time, it is a matter to define priorities, knowing your budget, and choosing what you will pay for!

Copenhagen’s free tourist attractions

Despite the prices of the previous-listed tourist spots, Copenhagen has more free tourist attractions than paying ones. Thus, make sure to include these in your list, and visit my complete guide on what to do and see in Copenhagen to learn more about them!

These are some of the top free Copenhagen tourist attractions:

• Christiansborg tower
• National Library
• Nyhavn
• Copenhill
• Freetown Christiania
• The Little Mermaid
• Kastellet

Now you know the travel costs of Copenhagen in accommodation, food, transportation and tourist attractions. If you have any questions reach out via the contact form or send me a DM on Instagram (@aniolvisuals). Follow me there for more travel and photography-related content!