Currency and tipping in Denmark — the practical guide

Last updated 2026-05-20·Verified 2026-05-20

Two things about money in Denmark catch almost every visitor off guard. First, Denmark does not use the euro — despite being in the EU, we kept our own currency, the krone. Second, tipping is genuinely not expected here, and over-tipping can come across as a little odd. This guide explains how Danish money actually works in 2026: what currency to bring (almost none), what cards to use (any contactless card), what tipping really looks like, the magic of MobilePay you cannot actually access, and what things cost.

The currency — Danish krone (DKK)

Denmark uses the Danish krone, written kr or DKK. Plural: kroner. One krone is divided into 100 øre, but øre coins are basically extinct — every electronic transaction rounds to whole kroner, and the only sub-krone coin still in circulation is the 50-øre piece (and you will rarely see one).

The krone is pegged to the euro at roughly 7.46 DKK = 1 EUR within a narrow ±2.25% band, so the exchange rate barely moves. Against the US dollar it floats around 6.80–7.10 DKK = 1 USD depending on the dollar's mood.

Coins in circulation: 50 øre (rare), 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 kroner. The 20-krone coin is gold-coloured and surprisingly large — it's the one tourists keep accidentally treating as a souvenir.
Notes: 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 kroner. The 1,000-krone note exists but you will almost never see one in the wild — most cash transactions top out at 500.

Why not the euro? Denmark held a referendum in 2000 and voted no. The peg gives us most of the practical benefits of the euro without the political ones. For you as a visitor, the only consequence is that you need to think in kroner instead of euros — multiply euro prices by roughly 7.5 to get the krone equivalent.

Cash is dying — and that's fine

Denmark is one of the most cashless countries on Earth. Cards and phones cover almost everything: groceries, restaurants, transit, parking, museums, hairdressers, doctors. Many cafés, shops, food trucks and even some museums openly refuse cash — they will have a small sign at the till, and Danish law allows it during evening hours.

Physical ATMs (hæveautomater) have been disappearing for years. The big banks — Danske Bank, Nykredit, Jyske Bank — have collectively closed thousands. You can still find ATMs in city centres and at airports, but in smaller towns it can take real effort.

The practical consequence: do not bother changing money before you arrive. You do not need a "starter wad" of kroner. Walk off the plane, tap your contactless card at the metro gate, and you are good for the entire trip. The only situations where some cash is genuinely useful: weekend flea markets, a few of the smaller island ferries, the very occasional old-school parking meter, and tipping a hotel concierge if you want to. Carry around 200 DKK as backup and you will probably bring most of it home.

Cards — what works

Visa and Mastercard: accepted everywhere, no exceptions worth worrying about. Contactless is the default — tap and go up to 350 DKK without a PIN, higher with a PIN. Apple Pay and Google Pay work identically and are widely used.

American Express: accepted at roughly 60% of places — high-end restaurants, hotels, department stores, international chains. Cafés, small independent shops, market stalls and most parking apps do not take it. Always bring a Visa or Mastercard as backup.

Chip + PIN is standard, signature is rare. For transactions above the contactless limit you'll be asked for a PIN at a portable terminal the server brings to your table — you almost never hand over your card.

Foreign transaction fees: most modern European fintech cards (Revolut, Wise, N26, most Nordic banks) charge nothing. Older US and UK bank cards often add 2–3% per transaction — check before you fly. Over a week in Denmark that 3% can quietly cost you 200–300 DKK.

MobilePay — the secret weapon you can't use

MobilePay is Denmark's universal payment app — both peer-to-peer and to businesses. Almost every Dane has it. Kids have it (linked to a parent's account). It is how Danes split restaurant bills, pay at market stalls, pay for parking, donate at concerts, and reimburse each other for everything from a coffee to a holiday rental.

The catch for tourists: registering MobilePay requires a Danish CPR-number (personal ID number) and a Danish bank account. You cannot sign up with a foreign passport.

“Watching a Dane try to pay you back in cash is one of the funniest things you can witness. They open their wallet like it's an unfamiliar object — because it is.”

— Bo

The workaround everyone uses: a Danish friend or host pays for you with MobilePay, and you reimburse them with your contactless card or cash. At a market stall that only takes MobilePay (it happens, mostly at weekend food markets), this is the only way through. For everything else, your contactless card works fine — you are not actually missing much.

Tipping — the radical Danish position

Here is the rule, stated plainly: tipping is not expected in Denmark. Service is included in every listed price. Wait staff, bartenders, taxi drivers and hotel staff are paid living wages with proper benefits, sick pay, pension contributions and paid holiday. They are not dependent on tips to survive — and they would prefer it stay that way.

American-style 15–20% tipping is genuinely uncommon here, and giving it can feel slightly awkward to the person receiving it. Not insulting, just unusual — a bit like leaving a 50% tip in a New York diner. The implicit message is "I don't trust your country to pay you properly," and Danes are quietly proud of their welfare model.

What Danes actually do:

• Café or casual restaurant: nothing. Maybe round up to the nearest 10 kroner if the service was particularly nice.
• Mid-range restaurant: 5–10% if the service was good. Never mandatory, never expected. Most Danes round the bill to a clean number and call it done.
• Fine dining: 10% is genuinely generous. Many people simply round up to the nearest 100 kroner.
• Hotel staff: 20–50 DKK to a concierge or housekeeper for genuinely above-and-beyond service. Not standard, and absence of a tip is not noticed.
• Taxis: round up to the next 10 kroner. Drivers do not expect more, and meter prices already include service.
• Tour guides: depends on the company. Many already include gratuity in the price. Ask when you book; if it is not included, 50–100 DKK per person on a half-day tour is plenty.
• Bartenders: nothing. Maybe a small round-up after a long night of cocktails.

One more cultural note: Danes also do not tip each other socially. If a friend gives you a ride home or a colleague helps you move a sofa, you buy them a beer or a coffee — you do not press cash into their hand. Money for personal favours feels transactional in a way that is mildly off-putting. The same logic flows into tipping behaviour at restaurants.

Practical scenarios

Paying at a restaurant

The server brings the bill when you ask ("regningen, tak" — "the bill, please"). They will bring a small portable terminal to your table. You tap or insert your card, enter a PIN if needed, and either accept the suggested amount or type in a higher figure if you want to add a tip. No tip line on the receipt, no signing — it is over in 15 seconds. Splitting the bill is easy: most terminals let each person pay their share separately, and the server will offer this without being asked.

Parking

Mostly app-based now. EasyPark and Parkman are the two dominant apps — download them before you arrive and add a foreign card; they work on tourist phones with no Danish account required. A few old-school coin meters survive in smaller towns, which is one of the few legitimate reasons to carry coins. See our driving in Denmark guide for the full parking picture.

Using a US card

Visa and Mastercard from US banks work fine. Watch out for the 2–3% foreign transaction fee that many US issuers still charge — it can add up over a week. If you travel internationally often, a card with no FX fee (most travel-branded cards now) pays for itself.

Street markets and food trucks

Mixed bag. Most stalls have mobile card terminals (look for an iZettle, SumUp or Nets reader — these all accept any contactless card). Some only take MobilePay. A handful are still cash-only, mostly at weekend antique and flea markets. Carry ~200 DKK as backup and you will handle every case.

Hotels and check-in

Standard international hotel rules apply: card on file at check-in for incidentals, final bill on departure. The bill will include the 25% VAT — already in the price you booked — and nothing else hidden. Tipping at check-in or check-out is not expected; if you tip a porter or concierge, 20–50 DKK is plenty.

Costs reference (2026)

Rough indicative prices, verified May 2026. Copenhagen prices; Aarhus and smaller towns are 10–20% cheaper.

Tax (moms) and VAT refund

Denmark's 25% VAT — moms — is already included in every listed price. The number on the menu, the tag, the hotel booking is exactly what you pay at the till. Restaurants, shops, hotels, transit — no hidden additions, no surprise local tax bolted on. The receipt will show the VAT broken out, but the total is what you saw before ordering.

Non-EU residents (US, UK, most non-European travellers) can claim a partial VAT refund on purchases over 300 DKK from shops displaying Tax Free Shopping stickers. Ask for the form at the till, keep your receipts, and process it at the airport on departure — the desk is past security, signposted as Global Blue or Planet Tax Free. The refund typically lands at around 15–19% of the purchase price after the processing fee.

Frequently asked questions