Is Copenhagen Expensive? 2026 Prices for Visitors

Yes, if Denmark's national figures are a guide: Denmark has the highest price level of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, and among European countries only Iceland and Switzerland were higher in Eurostat's 2025 figures. This guide gives the visitor costs that official sources publish (price levels, public transport and the Copenhagen Card) and the sights VisitCopenhagen lists as free. Where no official figure exists, as for an average Copenhagen hotel room or a restaurant meal, we don't quote one. For more ways to cut costs, see our Copenhagen on a budget guide.

Prices are in Danish kroner (DKK).

How expensive is Copenhagen? What the price statistics say

Eurostat compares price levels across Europe with the EU average set at 100. Its 2025 figures for the four countries (Eurostat):

These are national figures, not Copenhagen figures. Across Europe, only Iceland (173.5) and Switzerland (171.3) had a higher overall household price level than Denmark in 2025 (Eurostat, all countries).

Two things stand out for a visitor. Restaurants and accommodation, the category that covers hotels and eating out, was higher in Denmark (142.0) than in any of the other three, just ahead of Norway (139.7). Alcoholic beverages are the exception: Denmark's level, 122.4, was the lowest of the four.

Accommodation

We did not find an official average room price for Copenhagen, so this guide doesn't quote a nightly rate. What Eurostat does show is that Denmark's price level for restaurants and accommodation, 142.0, was the highest of the four countries in 2025, ahead of Norway at 139.7.

Since a City Pass Small covers all of zones 1-4, including the airport, a place to stay anywhere in those zones works with one transport ticket. Compare current rates for your dates on Booking.com, and see our cost of living in Denmark guide if you're asking what it costs to live here rather than visit.

Getting around

Public transport in Copenhagen (bus, train, Metro and light rail) runs on one zone-based fare system. For a visitor, DOT (Din Offentlige Transport) sells a City Pass for unlimited travel (DOT City Pass):

An adult can bring two children under 12 for free, and children aged 12-15 travel at half price. All City Pass types are sold in the Rejsebillet app; Small and Large are also sold at Copenhagen Airport, at DSB ticket machines in the Greater Copenhagen area and at the ticket machines in Metro stations. DOT's 2026 fare table lists the same City Pass prices as in 2025 (DOT fare table 2026).

If you'll only make one or two trips, the same fare table lists adult single tickets (enkeltbillet) at DKK 24 for 2 zones, DKK 30 for 3 zones and DKK 40 for 4 zones. To see how many zones a journey crosses, use our Copenhagen zone map and fare lookup.

From the airport: a Metro line runs between Vanløse and Copenhagen Airport (Københavns Lufthavn), and the Metro runs around the clock, every day (Metro). Our Copenhagen Airport to city centre guide covers the options, and Denmark transport for visitors explains tickets beyond the capital.

Copenhagen Card or City Pass?

The Copenhagen Card DISCOVER includes 80+ attractions, one visit per attraction, and unlimited public transport in zones 1-99, including to and from the airport (VisitCopenhagen). Its adult (16+) prices (Copenhagen Card):

The card's site says prices are subject to change without notice. A HOP version covers 40+ attractions in the city centre plus the Hop-on Hop-off buses, at DKK 600 for 24 hours for an adult.

To decide, compare like with like. A 24-hour City Pass Large covers the same zones 1-99 as the DISCOVER card for DKK 200, without attractions. The card is worth it only if the entry tickets you would actually buy in that time cost more than the difference. The Copenhagen Card site has a calculator for this. If you mostly plan to walk and use the free sights below, a City Pass is enough.

Free things to do

VisitCopenhagen's list of free things includes (VisitCopenhagen):

• Harbour baths, such as the Islands Brygge Harbour Bath, where you can swim in summer.
• The Changing of the Royal Guard at Amalienborg.
• Churches: the Marble Church (Frederik's Church) and Grundtvig's Church.
• The Christiansborg Palace tower, 106 metres high, free to go up.
• The Citadel and the city's parks and gardens.
• GreenKayak: borrow a kayak for free and help keep the harbour clean.
• Free museum days: the David Collection is free all year; Thorvaldsens Museum and the Museum of Copenhagen are free every Wednesday; Glyptoteket is free on the last Wednesday of the month. VisitCopenhagen recommends checking each museum's website before you go.

The same page points to CopenPay, which rewards things like travelling by bike, on foot or by public transport, or helping clean the harbour, with free or discounted attraction tickets, drinks or meals.

Food and drink

Eurostat's figures point in one direction: Denmark's price level for food and non-alcoholic beverages (120.5) was closer to the EU average than its level for restaurants and accommodation (142.0). Cooking or picnicking for some meals and eating out for others is the simplest lever you control. If you want one restaurant meal a day, check whether the places you like have a cheaper lunch menu.

For alcohol, Denmark's 2025 price level for alcoholic beverages was 122.4, against 149.8 in Sweden, 207.3 in Finland and 226.4 in Norway.

Paying by card

If a card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency instead of kroner, choose kroner and let your own card do the conversion, then check what your card charges for spending in DKK before you travel. A multi-currency card such as Wise is one option.

Good to know before you go

• Price level: Denmark 139.7 in 2025 against an EU average of 100; restaurants and accommodation 142.0.
• Transport: a City Pass Small costs DKK 100 for 24 hours in zones 1-4, which include the airport.
• Copenhagen Card DISCOVER: DKK 589 for 24 hours for an adult; compare it with a DKK 200 City Pass Large plus the tickets you would actually buy.
• Free sights: harbour baths, the Changing of the Guard and the Christiansborg Palace tower, plus free museum days.
• Hotels: there is no official average room price for Copenhagen to quote, so compare rates for your exact dates.

Prices change, so check DOT, the Copenhagen Card site and VisitCopenhagen, linked above, before you book.