Think you can’t afford Scandinavia? Well, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Here are tips for exploring Copenhagen on a budget. (Image by Sharaan Muruvan.)
Ah, Copenhagen. Abundant in charming canals, Insta-worthy architecture and ID-magazine interiors around every corner, and a hygge lifestyle so elusive elsewhere in the world. Alas, Copenhagen is one of Europe’s most expensive cities, and for anyone who wants to visit this stylish Scandi capital on a budget, this might seem like a challenge. Well, challenge accepted.
Here are some ways I was able to keep the spending to a minimum so that I, too, could have a taste of the hygge way of life.
1. Getting around: Rejsekort, walk, cycle
Rejsekort is a travel app widely used in Denmark for all forms of public transportation. You can use it to check in where you board, and check out where you alight. The app automatically calculates the fee once you’ve checked out. No faffing about with ticket machines or worrying if you got the wrong type of ticket.
P.S. This includes travelling outside of Copenhagen!
The city is compact, pedestrian-friendly, and so, so colourful, which made walking my chosen mode of transport. Plus, free walking tours (donation-based) are a great way to get to know a city’s history and architecture. Copenhagen Free Walking Tours offer a plethora of tours that cater to different folks of different strokes.
Alternatively, you could rent a bicycle, which is the most Dane of Danish ways to get around. Just make sure to check the road rules around cycling.
2. Stay: In a hostel
Hostels in Copenhagen aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re still the cheapest accommodation you’ll find, unless you’ve got a friend’s couch to crash on. Check out these hostels, which are modern, clean, conveniently located, and offer female-only options.
📍 Urban House Copenhagen by MEININGER
3. Eat and drink: Like a local
There are a couple of ways to do this. First off, there are the cheap eats and communal meals. I’m talking hot dogs, falafel wraps, smørrebrød (a traditional open-faced sandwich), and more. Here’s a list of delicious places that won’t break the bank.
📍 Madglad
Secondly, go full Copenhagen-er and grab picnic supplies from a supermarket (if you drink alcohol, this is also your best bet). Or make the most of Too Good To Go, which helps you score discounted surplus food from bakeries and restaurants. My favourite TGTG orders were from Wulff & Konstali and DEJ.
Head somewhere like Superkilen, The Lakes, Islands Brygge, or Kalvebod Bølge to make merry. Don’t worry, it’s legal to drink in public. So, grab a beer or a bottle of wine, if you so please, and people watch to your heart’s content.
4. Practice hygge: The Danish way of life
If you choose a spot to have that picnic by the water, particularly Kalvebod Bølge, Islands Brygge, or any of the other harbour baths that dot Copenhagen, then I highly recommend taking a refreshing dip in the canal. Bring your swimmers and a towel or sarong. There’s something to be said about slowing down and savouring the simple pleasures (and Copenhagen’s world-class public spaces).
Check out where else to soak up the sun if you’re spending the summer in Copenhagen.
Aside from swimming, kayaking is another free activity you can do along the canals! There are only two conditions for you to rent a kayak for free with Green Kayak: 1) pick up litter, and 2) post it on socials using #GreenKayak.
5. Explore: Free attractions and museums
Copenhagen has copious amounts of things to see and do for free. Here are some of the hard-hitting icons and neighbourhoods that are sure to impress:
📍 Black Diamond – modern waterfront extension to The Royal Danish Library
📍 The Christiansborg’s Tower – spectacular views of Copenhagen
📍 Amalienborg Palace – changing of the guard, daily at noon
📍 Kastellet – historic fortress and active military base
📍 Nyhavn – postcard-perfect pastel houses along the canal
📍 Freetown Christiania – unique, self-governing, creative corner of Copenhagen
📍 Nyboder – iconic yellow rows of houses with animal-named streets
📍 Assistens Cemetery – final resting place of Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard, and other Danish luminaries
📍 Grundtvigs Kirke – architectural jaw-dropper of a church
Museums with always-free entry: David’s Samling, DieselHouse, Villum Window Collection, and Kastrupgårdsamlingen
Museums with free days: National Museum of Denmark, Thorvaldsens Museum, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Glyptoteket, Nikolaj Kunsthal
Extra budgeting tips
- Got a student card? Bring it! Loads of places in Copenhagen give students discounts that go a long way.
- Travel off-season, like in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October) for lower prices.
- Kulturnatten: If you visit Copenhagen in October, there’s an annual one-day event where over 200 museums, theatres, libraries, churches, and parks host special events. An all-access pass costs just DKK125 and includes free public transport.
