How to Be Broke in Copenhagen: A Budget Guide

This “How to Be Broke in Copenhagen” budget guide will not only help you figure out the best budget things to do in the city, but also how to make the most of Copenhagen as a traveller.

Copenhagen, alongside its Scandinavian pals Stockholm and Oslo, is consistently ranked in the top 10 of the most expensive cities in the world. And I can confirm it’s true. I was visiting the city a few weeks ago, and spent 55DKK (€7.30) on a coffee!

After studying in the city for one year and going back regularly in the past years, I’m pretty clued up on how to do Copenhagen on the cheap. And even though I’m not a student anymore, I love figuring out how I can spend as little money as without missing out.

Disclaimer: This post isn’t going to include a step-by-step itinerary with time stamps (9am: drink your coffee at an edgy coffee shop. 10am: visit Nyhavn). I want you to be able to pick out the things that interest you the most and base your own itinerary around that.

Visit copenhagen in summer, not winter

Travellers are drawn to the city in the winter because of the allure of the Christmas markets. They imagine a nice hygge experience. And sure, when the weather is chilly but dry, the city is the place to be. But it’s probably likely that it’ll tip it down with rain while you’re there and let’s not forget the overpriced mulled wine.

In my honest opinion, Copenhagen is best explored in the summer months. It’s where all the locals flock to the parks and outdoor swimming spots to drink some beers and really appreciate the sun after a long, cold winter. Did I mention the cold? Copenhagen is cold!

Budget airlines: Thank You

The cheapest thing about Copenhagen is getting there. Ryanair flies to Copenhagen from so many European countries. My recent flight in August from London to CPH was only £29 | €33 one way. There are many reasons to shit on the budget airlines, but you can’t fault them for helping the budget traveller out.

Getting around Copenhagen

Once you arrive in Copenhagen Airport, you can catch the metro into the city for DKK 33. Or if you know you’ll use the metro a lot, buy a City Pass from 24hrs (DKK 80) up to 120hrs (DKK 300), which covers the whole of Copenhagen’s metro, buses and boat public transport system. Check out more info here.

Warning: Don’t try to get on the metro without a ticket. Ticket conductors check so regularly you don’t want to be caught and must pay the DKK 750 (€100) fine.

I advise renting a bicycle if you want to do as the Danes do. In Copenhagen, there are more bicycles (750,000) than there are people (675,000). It’s definitely the safest place I’ve ever cycled. It’s a city where bikes take priority over cars. Yeah, baby.

I’d recommend renting a bicycle from Baisikeli. Or if you’re in the city for a substantial time, consider buying one second-hand. You can use Facebook Marketplace!

But, if the budget is really tight, opt to walk everywhere. Copenhagen is incredibly walkable, and there’s always something beautiful to see.

Don't just stay in the city centre: this is not the real Copenhagen

Before I delve into how I recommend doing Copenhagen on the cheap, I want to drum it in that Copenhagen is more than the centre (around Nørreport and Nyhavn).

Most Danes don’t live in these areas and spend little time there. If you really want to see and experience Copenhagen, venture over to Nørrebro, Vesterbro, Frederiksberg and Østerbro.

Things to do in Copenhagen on a budget

I gift my things to do on a budget in Copenhagen list to you! So you can get the most out of the incredible BUT spenny asf city that is Copenhagen. First up: the city’s outdoor swimming spots!

Copenhagen's swimming spots

Copenhagen’s outdoor swimming scene is out of this world. In summer and winter, Danes are making the most of their city’s swimming spots. Every time I return to Copenhagen, I love going for a swim, and I get reminded why I fell in love with the city. My favourite swimming spots are:

Krøyers Plads, Christianshavn | A popular spot near the canals boasting a sweet view of Copenhagen’s Nyhavn.
La Banchina, CPH Harbour | A cute harbour spot where you can chill, bathe and catch the sunset. It’s also close to an epic street spot, Reffen.
Kastrup Sea Bath | Locally known as the Snail for its cool shape. It’s a proper saltwater bathing spot with changing rooms and showers.
Islands Brygge Harbour | This was my first-ever swimming spot in CPH. It is a busy summer as it has a big diving platform, grass space to picnic, etc.
Svanemølle-Molen, Østerbro | Located in a local neighbourhood with a sandy beach. Many early, cold morning sunrises were spent here with my friends.

Rent a green kayak and explore Copenhagen's waterways

Green Kayak is an environmentalist NGO that engages people in tackling ocean pollution. You can rent a kayak for 2 hours for free(!) with the commitment to pick up any rubbish you see floating in the waterways. The best way to see the city and do a little bit for the environment. A win-win!

But be sure to book way in advance of your trip as it’s become popular. You can find more info here.

Visit Freetown Christiana

Visiting Christiana is an essential rite of passage as a tourist in Copenhagen.

If you’re unfamiliar with Freetown Christiana, it’s essentially a hippy commune right in the city centre of Copenhagen. It has an intriguing history, starting off as a squatted military base in the 70s and then forming as an intentional commune, declaring itself as a ‘self-governing society’. Its Green Light District, also known as ‘Pusher Street’, became the only place in Copenhagen where you could buy drugs. Over the years, the police have definitely cracked down on this, and violence has broken out between drug gangs in the supposedly peaceful community.

While Christiana is not the place it used to be, it’s definitely worth a visit and exploring. Throughout the summer, on Sundays, head to Christiana’s open-air stage, Nemoland, to watch free gigs. Big names, like Lukas Graham, who was brought up in Christiana, have performed there in the past. All the upcoming gig info is found on their FB page.

If you want to have more context about Freetown Christiana, watch this video.

Explore Copenhagen's flea markets

One of my favourite weekend activities, when I studied in Copenhagen was to fit into the local flea markets. Spot upcoming flea markets (called Loppemarked in Danish) under the Facebook Events page. But normally, Vera’s Market hosts a pop-up flea market every Sunday under a big bridge in Nørrebro. Check their FB page for updates.

head to Byhaven for free summer concerts

Byhaven is the best spot to listen to live music and soak in the summer vibes. It’s an open-air bar, open from April to September, hosting concerts from Wednesday – Sunday. And the best thing? Always free entry! Find out their schedule here.

Embrace your inner tourist and ride on the tourist boat

In all seriousness, I love this tourist boat. Two companies operate from Nyhavn, but one costs shit loads, and the other one, Nettobådene, is only DKK 50, and their tours are exactly the same. Sure, the boat is not as fancy, but it makes no difference to your experience.

In 1 hour, you’ll have covered the main tourist spots of Copenhagen and taken a photo of the iconic Little Mermaid Statue to show your granny.

Top tip: Sit on the right side of the boat, as this is the side with the most ‘stuff’ on. You can take a few cans of Tubourg on board and make it a ‘booze cruise’ if you like.

walk around copenhagen's lakes

Separating the city centre from local neighbourhoods Nørrebro, Vesterbro and Osterbro, you’ll find Copenhagen’s famous lakes where locals love running, cycling and walking. I’d recommend grabbing a takeaway coffee at Zaggi’s Cafe (for only DKK25) and walking the 6km around the three lakes, taking in the local neighbourhoods of Østerbro, Nørrebro and Vesterbro and then finishing at Dronnings Louises Bro: the local chilling spot.

hang out at Ofelia plads

Just around the corner from a gazillion-euros-a-beer Nyhavn, you’ll find Ofelia Plads, a big open space by the water where Danes chill, swim, sunbathe and drink some Netto beers in the summer. Oh, and the view of the Opera House is pretty damn good too. If you’re lucky, you can catch a dance, live music or events. Check this FB page for upcoming summer events.

get cultured at GLYPTOTEKET ART museum

Officially called NY Calsberg Glyptoteket, set up by the founder of Calsberg, it houses a collection of Danish and French art and a collection of ancient Middle Eastern and Meditteranean artefacts. The juxtaposition of these two collections and a stunning dome roof and indoor garden makes a visit worthwhile especially, when it’s free.

Every last Wednesday of the month, Glyptoteket opens its doors for FREE. Normal prices are DKK 95 if you’re under 27; otherwise, it’s DKK 125.

coffeE shop hop

If it’s a little rainy outside, and you fancy sitting in a coffee shop, most Copenhagen coffee shops will set you back around DKK 50- 55 (€7) for a coffee. But if you know where to go, you can get the hygge cafe experience without shelling out your savings for a cappuccino. These are my favourite coffee shops to sit and read, and where coffee will only cost you DKK25:

Zaggis Cafe | next to the lakes by the city centre
Minas Kaffebar | in Nørrebro
Cafe Mellemrummet | in Nørrebro

visit copenhagen's botanical gardens

Copenhagen’s Botanical Gardens are so convenient to visit that it would be rude not to. Located in the centre by Nørreport, it’s worth spending a 1hr wandering through the lush greenhouses. And it’s free!

climb up to copenhill for a birds eye view of the city

Copenhill screams Copenhagen. It’s essentially a futuristic waste incinerator actually called Amager Bakke, originally built to turn Copenhagen’s waste into clean energy, but because that’s not enough, they’ve also added a climbing wall, dry-ski slope and hiking trail. Nuts. And the best thing? Hiking to the top is free!

Best cheap-eats in copenahgen

absalon: community dinner

Absalon is by far my top tip for where to eat in Copenhagen. Located in an old historic church in Copenhagen’s hip area of Vestebrro, Absalon hosts community dinners for only DKK 50. You can meet strangers from all over the city and the world. So hygge!

eat kebabs in Nørrebro

In the 70s, for a short time, Denmark opened its border to Turks as part of the guest-workers program. Now, approx 50,000 Turks are a present part of Danish society, and consequently, you can find insanely good kebabs in Copenhagen. Kebabistan in Vesterbro and Durum Bar in Nørrebro are my fav.

Domhusets Smørrebrød

Want to try some Danish food? Denmark is most known for its open-faced sandwich (in Danish: smørrebrød), and the best and most affordable place to find it in Copenhagen is at Domhusets Smørrebrød. It’ll cost you DKK 15 per sandwich. You can eat in or take away!

reffen: copenhagen street food

Located on the man-made island of Refshaleøen, Reffen is Scandinavia’s biggest street food venue, home to 35 start-up food stalls, coffee shops and bars and right next to Copenhagen’s famous craft brewery, Mikkeller. During the summer months (April – September), it’s open with live DJs, huge wooden tables, and all the vibes.

While the food is expensive, you can make up for it by taking your own beers. Located right on the harbour, you can swim, watch the sunset, and just BE. It’s one of my favourite spots to hang out with friends in Copenhagen.

It’s a 10-minute cycle from Nyhavn, or you can jump on the HarbourBus (a public transport boat that sails around Copenhagen’s water, as you’ll find in Istanbul). 991 and 992 both sail to Reffen from Nyhavn. You can pay with a Reisjekort or just by cash. It’s DKK 24 per journey. Find journey times on Moovit.

Leif's Pizza

Leif’s Pizza in Nørrebro is a great cheap, pizza spot with both gluten-free and vegetarian options. While the inside isn’t anything fancy, take it to go if it’s warm outside!

download APP: too good to go

Don’t want to cough up DKK 200 on a dinner? Well, lucky for you because in 2016, a group of friends from Copenhagen saw the ridiculous amount of food that was being thrown away in restaurants and set up an app to connect restaurants and consumers. Now, the initiative has spread to cities worldwide, but Copenhagen is where it’s most at.

The app allows you to see what restaurants are nearby; you then reserve a slot, pay for the food (normally around DKK 25 – 50) and pick up is normally 1hr before closing time. Then, head to Copenhagen’s many chilling spots to enjoy your bargain.

Best drinking spots in Copenhagen

Netto is your friend: Buy supermarket beers

The cheapest way to drink in Copenhagen is to pop into any supermarket (although Netto is the cheapest) and buy some tinnies (cans of beer for non-British readers) to enjoy in the city’s many open spaces. The drinking rules in Denmark are relaxed, and you can drink anywhere! Kongens Have and Det Kongelige Biblioteks Have are my two favourite green spots.

Dronnings Louis Bro near the Lakes, is a top spot where many locals gather to chill, listen to music and enjoy the sun.

head to a traditional danish bodega

Bodegas really capture the traditional Danish drinking culture. Think a smokey, low-key, friendly bar, home to every single kind of person. All there to drink, play dice games and get DKK26 beer. What should you order? Tuborg, tuborg and more tuborg. Diligencen, Bo-bi bar and Halvvejen are my favourites. Just a heads-up: If you hate the idea of being in a room where people can smoke, Bodegas are not for you.

hit up the local vibes at Blågårdsgade

Blågårdsgade is a Copenhagen local’s favourite drinking street in Nørrebro. Here you’ll find plenty of bars with outdoor seating but it’s also the spot where Copenhageners chill on the streets and drink their own beers.

go party at the meatpacking district

Kødbyen originally used to be home to Copenhagen’s meatpacking industry. An area that used to be all industry and run-down is thriving, especially come night. You can find most of Copenhagen’s nightclubs, cool restaurants and bars here.

My favourite drinking spot is Warpigs, followed by Jolene, but they’re not exactly budget-friendly. If you’re on a budget, I recommend taking some Netto-beers down to Meatpacking and drinking outside with your friends. The atmosphere down there is electric. And then, head to Mester og Lærlingen for some dancing. It’s free entry.

Okay, that’s a wrap-up of all the best things to do in Copenhagen on the cheap. One thing I wouldn’t cut costs on is renting a bicycle. It’s so wonderful to cycle everywhere in the summer months, and you feel part of Copenhagen life. As always, reach out if you need any further advice!