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Money in Denmark, sorted.
A calm, current plan for the money side of your trip: why your card covers almost everything, why the krone is tied to the euro yet you still pay in kroner, how little you tip, the shopping tax you can claim back, and where a tourist charge might turn up.
The three things people ask
Will my card work? Do I need cash? Are ATMs easy?
The quick read for a first trip.
Your card
Works almost everywhere
Visa and Mastercard are taken nearly everywhere, contactless is standard, and Apple or Google Pay are widely accepted, on trains, in shops and at museums. Locals often pay by the MobilePay app or the domestic Dankort, but you will not need either. Amex is accepted at bigger hotels and shops but is patchier, so carry a Visa or Mastercard.
Check yours →Cash
A little, rarely
Cards cover almost everything. Keep maybe 200 to 400 DKK for a small market stall or a rural spot. Do not load up on kroner; you will struggle to spend a big pile, and leftover euros do not work here despite the currency being tied to the euro.
How much to bring →ATMs
Use a bank machine
Use a bank ATM (often labelled Kontanten or tied to a big bank), common in towns. Read the on-screen fee, take a sensible amount, and always decline "convert to US dollars." Your own bank's foreign-ATM fee usually matters more than the machine's.
See ATMs in Denmark →(opens in a new tab)Cash or card
Nearly cashless; the real cost is how much everything costs.
A rough feel for everyday spending. Cards and contactless cover almost everything, from hotels and restaurants to trains, buses, museums and small shops, and locals lean heavily on cards and the MobilePay app. You need a little cash only for the occasional market stall or rural spot. The real thing to plan for is not cash, it is the prices, so pad your daily budget.
See what the trip really costs →Your money plan
Four steps and you're set.
Before you go
- Bring a no-foreign-fee Visa or Mastercard with contactless for nearly everything, plus a backup card from a different bank.
- Get a no-foreign-fee debit card (Charles Schwab, Wise or Revolut) for the little cash you might pull.
- Check your US phone plan for Denmark. It is in the EU, so plans that include EU roaming usually cover it, but confirm the rate; otherwise an eSIM is cheap.
- Remember it is kroner, not euros, despite the euro peg. Do not arrive with euros expecting to spend them.
At the airport
- Skip the exchange counters. You can start tapping your card immediately, including for the Metro or train from Copenhagen Airport into the city.
- If you want a little cash, pull kroner from a bank ATM and decline "convert to dollars."
- Set up an eSIM before you land (Airalo, Nomad, or a local plan) for maps and transit apps.
- Doing the VAT refund on the way out? Get forms validated at customs (at Copenhagen or Billund) before you check bags.
Day to day
- Tap your card or phone for almost everything: trains, buses, shops, restaurants and museums.
- Prices already include the 25% VAT, so the number on the tag or menu is what you pay.
- Carry a little cash only for the odd market stall or rural spot.
- Always choose kroner, never dollars or euros, on every card terminal and ATM screen.
A golden rule
- It is kroner, not euros, even though the krone tracks the euro. Denmark is not in the eurozone, so you pay in kroner, euros do not spend here, and choosing dollars or euros at a terminal (dynamic currency conversion) quietly adds 3 to 8%.
- Budget high. A coffee, a quick lunch, a beer or a museum ticket all cost more than you expect, so plan a bigger daily number than for much of Europe.
Staying connected
Will my phone work here? And what will it cost?
Excellent across the country, with strong 4G and wide 5G in cities, towns, and along the main roads and rail lines, and good coverage on the bridges and ferries between the islands. The main networks are TDC (Nuuday), Telenor, Telia and 3. Denmark is in the EU, so a US plan with EU roaming usually covers it, but confirm the rate; an eSIM (Airalo, Nomad, Ubigi) is often cheaper. You do not need mobile data to pay by card, but you will want it for maps and transit apps. The cost is where people get caught out, and on most US plans it lands in one of two buckets.
Your plan may already include it
Often, do nothing
Some US plans include slow data abroad at no extra cost. If that is you, the honest move is to leave it alone.
we earn nothing
Or it charges quietly, after the fact
The bill lands later
On pay-per-use plans the cost runs in the background while you travel, and the charge can show up weeks after you are home. Forgetting to switch off data roaming is the classic one. For a week or more, an eSIM is usually cheaper and keeps you in control.
Check what your own carrier charges before the trip, not after.
If an eSIM is the cheaper call, Nomad covers Denmark.
Get your Nomad eSIM for Denmark→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionMedical cover
The one cost with no price tag.
Every other number on this page has a price you can look up. This one does not, and it can be the largest of them all. Most US health plans cover little or nothing once you leave the country, and Medicare covers essentially none of it abroad. A serious illness or injury is paid up front, and a medical evacuation runs from tens of thousands of dollars to past $100,000 if you are remote or an ocean from home.
First, you may not need to buy anything.
A cheap, refundable trip close to home does not need this. And if you are healthy, headed somewhere with good care, and one of the premium cards on the shortlist above already includes emergency medical and evacuation, you may be covered already. Check your card's benefits guide before you buy. Saying that costs us the commission, and it is still the right call.
How much cover matters here
Here, good hospitals are easy to reach and the care is high quality, so for a healthy traveler this leans more toward your call than a must.
If you do want cover, this is what it is for: the evacuation and the up-front hospital bill, the part no card limit is meant to absorb.
Enough for most trips
Faye, or a comparable whole-trip policy
Bundles trip protection with emergency medical, which is enough cover for most travelers on a typical trip.
The deeper end
A dedicated travel-medical plan built for serious care and evacuation abroad
Stronger on medical care and evacuation, for a remote or higher-risk trip where that is the real exposure.
If it happens
Call it first, then call your insurer's 24/7 assistance line, which is what confirms payment and arranges an evacuation. 112 reaches every emergency service, ambulance, police and fire, from any phone, even with no SIM. Operators speak English. For non-urgent medical help in the Copenhagen (Capital) region, call the medical helpline on 1813; elsewhere your accommodation can point you to the local out-of-hours doctor. Keep 112 for a genuine emergency.
TrueTripCosts explains the gap and points to options. It does not set your coverage amounts or act as your insurance advisor, and every policy carries its own exclusions, so read them before you buy. Emergency number checked Jul 2026. Confirm the current number before you travel, as local lines can change.
Currency basics
The Danish krone, in plain terms.
Quick conversion
Denmark uses the krone (DKK), plural kroner. At about 6.5 kroner to the dollar in mid-2026, 100 DKK is roughly 15 dollars, 200 DKK about 31, and 300 DKK about 46. Prices already include the 25% VAT, so the figure on the tag or menu is what you pay.
Notes and coins
Notes run 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 kroner (the 1,000 note is being phased out); coins include the 50-ore piece and 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 kroner. You will rarely handle much of it, since almost everything goes on a card.
Tied to the euro, but it's kroner
The krone is pegged to the euro at a fixed central rate, so it barely moves against the euro. But Denmark is not in the eurozone, so you still pay in Danish kroner: euros will not spend here, and there is no reason to carry dollars.
Tipping is light
Service is included and staff are paid a proper wage, so tipping is modest: round up or leave about 5 to 10% for good service at a sit-down meal, nothing at a counter. See the tipping section below.
Real exchange rate
What your money is really worth here.
This is the mid-market rate, the one the banks trade at and the yardstick every other rate is measured against. Your card lands a little below it, and if a screen ever offers to bill you in dollars, that is worse again. So this is the number to expect, and how you spot a bad one.
1 US dollar is about 6.54 DKK
Taxes, tips and refunds
A flat 25% tax in every price, a light tip, and money back on shopping.
Denmark is expensive, and VAT is already in the price: a flat 25% on almost everything, unusual in Europe for having essentially no reduced rate, so hotels, meals, books and shop goods all carry the same 25%, and the tag or menu figure is what you pay. As a non-EU visitor you can reclaim the VAT on goods you take home, on receipts of at least 300 DKK. Ask for a tax-free form, keep the goods unused, and get it validated by customs when you leave the EU; after the operator's fee you get back a useful chunk, though not the full 25%. Tipping is light: service is included, so rounding up or leaving about 5 to 10% for good service at a nice restaurant is generous, not expected, and there is no terminal tip-prompt culture as in the US. There is no national tourist tax, though Copenhagen has been weighing a city overnight levy and a few hotels there add a small voluntary green surcharge (above). There is no separate departure tax to pay; airport charges are built into your ticket.
Before you book: passports, the six-month rule and whether you need a visa. Not a US citizen, or connecting through Europe? The rules can differ, and even a layover can need its own visa. See our passports and visas guide →
Watch out for
The small traps that catch first-timers.
Tipping
Light: service is included, rounding up is plenty.
Tipping in Denmark is modest, so relax about it. Service is included and staff are paid a proper wage, so locals simply round up or leave a little for good service. At a sit-down restaurant, rounding the bill up or adding about 5 to 10% for good service is generous rather than expected; at a cafe, bar or counter, no tip is needed. For taxis, round up to the nearest note; for hotel housekeeping, a small amount is a kind gesture but not required; for a helpful guide or driver on a tour, a little extra is appreciated. Card terminals may show a tip line, but there is no strong tipping culture here as in North America, so do not feel obliged.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do I need cash in Denmark?
Not much. Cards and tap work almost everywhere, including trains, buses and small shops, and locals lean on cards and the MobilePay app. Keep maybe 200 to 400 DKK for a market stall or rural spot, and pull it from a bank ATM if you run low. Do not exchange a big pile of dollars into kroner.
Does Denmark use the euro?
No. The Danish krone is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate, so it barely moves against it, but Denmark is not in the eurozone. You still pay in kroner (DKK): euros will not spend here, so plan to pay by card in kroner and do not carry euros for this leg.
Should I pay in kroner or US dollars in Denmark?
Kroner. If a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in US dollars (or euros), decline; that dynamic currency conversion typically adds 3 to 8%. Paying in kroner and letting your own bank convert is almost always cheaper.
Is there a tourist tax in Denmark?
There is no national tourist tax or nightly accommodation tax. Copenhagen has been weighing a city overnight levy (not yet in force at last check), and a few Copenhagen hotels add a small voluntary sustainability surcharge of a couple of euros a night, so check your booking. Elsewhere there is normally nothing extra.
Can I get a VAT refund on shopping in Denmark?
Yes, if you live outside the EU and spend at least 300 DKK on a receipt. Ask for a tax-free refund form, keep the goods unused, and get it validated by customs when you leave the EU, then claim through the refund operator. After fees you get back a useful part of the flat 25% VAT, though not the full amount.
Why is Denmark so expensive, and how much should I budget?
High wages, a high cost of living and a flat 25% VAT on nearly everything all feed into prices, from coffee to museum tickets. For everyday spending beyond your hotel, very roughly 700 to 1,300 DKK a day per person (about 108 to 200 dollars) is a realistic mid-range figure, mostly on card. The fix is to budget a higher daily number than for much of Europe.
What it really costs
What you'll really spend in Denmark.
Your flights if you want them counted, your room, your on-the-ground spending, the two fees most US cards add without telling you, and Denmark's tourist tax. One number, nothing waiting on the statement. No bank to pick, no sign-up, nothing saved.
Optional. Enter your round trip fare per traveler to fold flights into the total.
In Denmark, plan for about $0.
Realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Whether at an ATM or a card terminal in a shop or restaurant, always choose to be charged in the local currency, not dollars. Paying in dollars (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, worse, exchange rate on top of any fee.
Rough guide, not a quote. The percentage here is a blended stand-in for a typical US card's foreign fee, not your exact rate. The real number moves with the card you carry: one no-foreign-fee card can cover both sides, while a plain rewards credit card only removes the fee on what you buy, and cash still costs a little unless that card also waives ATM and foreign-cash fees. A debit card, or accepting the "pay in dollars" (dynamic currency conversion) offer at a till or ATM, can push it higher. Rates checked Jun 2026 and rounded.
How this estimate is built
These are the assumptions behind the number. Change the room price, nights, travelers, or travel style above, and every line here moves with them.
- Hotel
- Daily spending
- Flights
- Cash vs card
- ATM withdrawals
- Foreign fee
- The range
- Tourist tax
Not sure which card to bring? See my pick for Denmark.
Already carry a card with no foreign transaction fee? Then you are set for Denmark, and can skip this. There is nothing to buy.
If you are getting a card for Denmark, this is the pairing I would pick: a no-foreign-fee credit card for spending, and a fee-free ATM debit card for cash. We earn nothing on these today. Always confirm the current fee with the issuer before you apply. Checked Jun 2026.
Capital One charges no foreign transaction fee on any of its cards.
No foreign transaction fee
Fee-free ATM cash worldwide
Want one account that holds and spends in the local currency? A different job from the three above, and the one I reach for abroad. It is free to open; you can create a virtual card in the app and add it to your phone wallet in minutes, without waiting for the physical card; and you can convert US dollars into the local currency inside the account before you travel, then spend from that balance. Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee (around 0.4% and up), with no flat foreign fee.
The three picks above pay us nothing, and their tags say so. Wise is the only option here that can earn us a commission, and its tag says that too. Paid or not, the pick is still the pick.
Travelers, not touristsA few words of Danish go a long way
A few words of Danish go a long way
Danes speak Danish, and they are experts at coziness. A friendly Tak and a story or two mark you as a guest rather than a tourist.
Say a few words
Tip: The word to know is hygge, the Danish art of cozy contentment: candles, good company and warmth against the dark. Danes are also mad for cycling and famous for clean, simple design. Learn Tak for thank you and settle in by candlelight.
Know a story
The father of the fairy tale
Denmark gave the world Hans Christian Andersen, whose fairy tales, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and The Emperor's New Clothes, are loved in every language. Born poor, he became the most famous storyteller of his age. A little bronze mermaid sits by Copenhagen's harbor in his honor.
Good to know: the Little Mermaid sits in Copenhagen harbor
Denmark's birth certificate
In a quiet churchyard at Jelling stand two carved stones raised by Viking kings over a thousand years ago. The larger one, set up by King Harald Bluetooth, boasts that he won all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian, and it is the first place the name Denmark was ever written. It is, in effect, the nation's birth certificate.
Good to know: the Jelling stones name Denmark for the first time
The astronomer who mapped the sky
Four hundred years ago, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe built the finest observatory of his day and, night after night, measured the stars and planets more precisely than anyone before him, all with the naked eye, since the telescope had not yet been invented. His careful records later helped unlock the laws of planetary motion.
Good to know: he charted the heavens before the telescopeDanes are relaxed, egalitarian and reliably cheerful, regularly ranked among the happiest people on Earth. They are proud of their fairy tales, their design, their bikes and their hygge. Meet their easy warmth halfway and you will feel right at home.
No links here, nothing to buy. This part is just to help you travel well.
Sources, and how this guide was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
Changed since last checkSources added on first publish, checked July 2026. Confirmed that Denmark (an EU member that kept its own krone, pegged to the euro but not in the eurozone) charges a flat VAT (moms) of 25% on almost everything, unusually with no reduced rate, all already in the price, and that non-EU visitors can reclaim VAT on goods over 300 DKK per receipt. On tourist tax: there is no national or nightly accommodation tax. Copenhagen has been weighing a city overnight levy (before the Business Ministry and not yet in force), and some Copenhagen hotels add a small voluntary sustainability surcharge, so we flag both honestly rather than treating either as a fixed charge.
- Skattestyrelsen (Danish Tax Agency)the flat 25% VAT (moms)
- Global BlueDenmark tax-free shopping, minimum 300 DKK per receipt
- Danmarks Nationalbankthe krone's fixed-rate peg to the euro
Our own judgmentThe daily cash share, tipping norms, and likely ATM behavior are our own estimate from experience, not an official figure. Copenhagen's proposed overnight levy is still moving through the process, so check your booking near travel time.
More money guides in Europe
If you are also weighing up nearby destinations, each guide covers cards, cash, ATMs and the fees to expect.
Going deeper on Denmark
The money questions people ask on the ground.
Short, focused answers to the specific things that catch first-timers out in Denmark.
- Tipping in DenmarkDenmark is not really a tipping country. Wages are high and service is included, so tipping is not expected. Round up for good service if you like. Here is what you actually owe.
- Do I need cash in Denmark, or can I use cards?Short answer: a card for almost everything, very little cash. Denmark is nearly cashless like its Nordic neighbors, and it keeps the krone rather than the euro. Here is how to handle it.
- Bringing your dog or cat to Denmark.Denmark runs on the single EU pet-entry process for a US-origin dog or cat: microchip, rabies in the right order, and an EU health certificate on a 10-day clock. No quarantine, no rabies titer. Here is what that means for Denmark, and the local parts worth knowing.
This is how Denmark stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.