True Trip Costs: Denmark
before you go
- DoCompare companies rather than assuming a fixed rate
- DoIn Copenhagen check the Metro first
- DoOn a card: Choose krone, not dollars
- CarryCash: Rarely needed, some places refuse it
- ExpectYou pay: The full cost as a visitor
- ExpectTipping: Not really expected
That's the short version. Below: every fee we checked, what it all adds up to, and the traps we help you dodge.
No match. See all guides.
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.
Money scorecard
Denmark
- Ease of payingVery easy
- Cash dependenceNear cashless
- Daily costExpensive
- Getting aroundHonest taxis
- CurrencyStable
Every rating is our own judgment from the Denmark guide, not a score.
See the full Denmark guideSince April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has been live at Schengen borders. Instead of a passport stamp you give a quick fingerprint and photo on arrival, and the system then tracks your 90 days automatically. There is no fee, no form and nothing to apply for.
The catch is time, not money: several major airports have run peak queues of two to five hours through the summer, and some countries are using EU-permitted pauses to ease them. Build in a buffer on arrival, especially on a tight connection.
ETIAS, the separate online authorization, is not running and has no launch date. The EU removed its late-2026 target in July 2026 and says it will announce a real date several months ahead, so any site selling you an ETIAS today is selling something that does not exist yet. For now a US passport is all you need.
Full detail, and the official EU pages, on passports and visas.
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→(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
Care in the main cities is good, but costs add up and reaching top care from a remote spot takes time, so it is worth a real look for a trip here.
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.
That covers what a government adds. What you can still change is what the room itself costs, and that comes down to the booking moment: see how to pay less on hotels.
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 will your trip really cost?
Name where you are going. We will show you what nobody quotes.
For instance, right now
ColombiaHotels charge 19% IVA, but as a foreign tourist you are exempt, and about half try to add it anyway.
JapanThe world's most high-tech country is still cash-first, and most bank ATMs refuse US cards.
CzechiaCzech law gives you three hours to cancel a bad currency exchange and get your money back, on amounts up to 1,000 EUR.
GreeceGreece's climate fee charges an Airbnb-style rental about 8 EUR a night against 2 for a budget hotel.
El SalvadorThe country that made Bitcoin legal tender?
CambodiaThe US dollar is Cambodia's everyday currency, and ATMs hand you crisp $100 bills nobody can break.
TurkeyUS citizens need no visa and no e-visa for Turkey, scrapped in 2023.
ItalyMost Italian restaurants add a coperto, a per-person cover charge of commonly 2 to 3 euros, before you have ordered anything.
The one thing most people get wrong about Denmark
Checked Jul 2026You assume ride-hailing undercuts the local taxi, as it usually does.
Danish law makes every for-hire car run a meter, which pushed Uber out in 2017 and shaped what came back in 2025. Tariffs are still set company by company, so the meter does not mean one price.
The old adviceOpen the ride app to beat the taxi price
Nowevery car is metered, so compare tariffs instead of platforms
What to doCompare companies rather than assuming a fixed rate, and in Copenhagen check the Metro first.
Taxis, apps and the meter law in DenmarkEverything we checked
What Denmark actually charges you, in one place.
5 things we verified for Denmark, grouped by the kind of thing they are. The numbers are below; this is the shape of them.
money you keep
traps to dodge
timing
The number
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.
Total trip realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Getting thereflights, and what the border costs
Departure tax is not a separate line here. Where a country charges one it is collected inside your airfare, so it is already in the flight figure, and adding it again would count it twice.
On the ground detailyour room, your days, and how much of it is cash
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.
Fees nobody quotes youthe part that lands on the statement weeks later
What you'll pay
What you can refuse, and what the lookalike sites charge, is set out under Costs nobody tells you about below, with the two figures kept apart from these ones.
Costs nobody tells you about
Most of it you can keep. Here is every dollar of it.
Every one of them, and how to avoid it5 items
None of this is in the trip total above, and none of it ever will be. Two of these are money you hand over by default and the rest is money you keep by knowing, so they are counted apart and never added together.
What you'll pay unless you act
- Your own bank's foreign feeswhat the fees above come toMost US cards add a percentage on what you buy and on the cash you pull, plus a few dollars per ATM withdrawal. Nothing about that is a cost of the trip; it is a cost of the card you happened to bring.A no-foreign-fee card takes both fee lines above to zero.The cards that do not charge it
- Paying in dollars at the terminalabout 3 to 8%on what you cardDynamic currency conversion lets the machine set its own rate on top of any fee, and it runs about 3 to 8 percent on whatever you put on the card. It is the single easiest charge on this page to refuse, and it costs nothing to say no.Choose DKK every time, at a till and at an ATM.How to decline it
- The airport or hotel exchange deskExchange counters make their money on the spread rather than on a stated fee, which is why we publish no percentage for it: it moves by counter, by hour and by note. The rule is what is reliable, not the number.Withdraw from a bank ATM instead, and never change cash at the airport.Getting cash here
What we'll help you dodge
- Tipping on top of a service chargeA service charge is always added to the bill in Denmark, so a tip on top of it is paying for service twice. We put no figure on this one, because what you would have added is up to you.Read the bill first. Where the charge is on it, that is the tip.How tipping works here
- The sales tax you can claim backDenmark refunds sales tax to visitors on qualifying shopping, with the rate and any minimum spend set out in this guide. Most travelers never claim it, and we put no dollar figure on it, because it depends on what you buy.Ask for the tax-free form at the till, keep the goods unused, and claim on the way out.The rate and the minimum spend
Where these numbers come fromevery assumption, and its limitssources
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
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 we check and date every figureDenmark, TTC-ed
truetripcosts.comWhat this assumes
Tips are already inside the daily spending figure, never added on top.
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.
Before you fly
At least 14 countries now make you file a form online before you fly. 13 of them are free. One really does charge, and it is not the one you would guess.
Denmark does not ask for one, so this is not a job for this trip. It is worth knowing anyway, because the list keeps growing and the pattern is always the same: the filing is new, obscure and mandatory, and the paid lookalikes outrank the government site because the real ones do not buy ads.
See every form we can source, with the official address for eachWhen to go
Cheaper and busier months in Denmark.
The month you pick moves the budget as much as the country does. Here is the shape of Denmark's year, with no price attached to it, because an honest one does not exist.
- Busy and pricey
- In between
- Cheaper and quieter
- Cheaper and quieter
- Jan to Mar
- What drives the peak
- Long Nordic summer days, Danish holidays in Jul, Copenhagen's outdoor season, and the Christmas weeks at Tivoli
Medium confidence. The seasons are well established, though the money side of them is partly our own inference.
See all 59 countries compared on the when to go pageTravelers, 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.
How we checkHow every guide is researched, checked and dated
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.
- Taxis in Denmark, and getting around CopenhagenEvery for-hire car in Denmark runs a fare meter, which is the law that pushed Uber out in 2017 and shaped what came back. Taxis are honest but pricey, tariffs are set company by company rather than fixed citywide, and in Copenhagen the Metro still does most of the work. Here is how it works.
- 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.
- Staying connected in Denmark.Denmark has among the best coverage in Europe and no signal story worth telling. The one thing worth knowing is that two parts of the Kingdom are not part of your Denmark plan.
- What does getting sick in Denmark cost a visitor?Denmark is one of the more reassuring countries on this list. Care is close, well run and quick to reach, and the financial question is a bill rather than a catastrophe.
This is how Denmark stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.