Finding cheap stuff in Copenhagen

This article was first published 8 May 2015. It has been updated 29 June 2019.

It is time to make your Copenhagen space feel like home. Your room, flat or shared house is a cosy refuge from the social whirlwind and new experiences. Make it your own.

Here is our top 5 list of places to scavenge, barter or buy cheap stuff in Copenhagen.

1. Flea markets

The flea market, or loppemarked, is a central part of Copenhagen life. You can get everything from furniture to electronics, cutlery, paintings and rare vinyl. But patience and perseverance are required in order to find the best bargain.

If you would rather spend your cash on drinks and travel, you can scavenge good free furniture at one of the city’s recycling stations

Most flea markets have a specialty (clothes, furniture, design), and many charge an entrance fee. Do some research before you embark on your loppenmarket quest, and find a place that suits your needs and wallet. A good place to start is MarkedsKalenderen.

If you want to add a charitable side to your bargain-hunting, very Saturday year-round there is a large indoor flea market owned by a charity called Svalerne (Emmaus in other countries). All of the proceeds go to help children in India and Bangladesh.

The warehouse is in the Northern part of the city on Nattergalevej 6 and is open from 10-15 every Saturday (it is closed in the month of July).

Don’t forget the monthly Studenterhuset flea markets.

2. Online bartering

When Danes want cheap stuff, they go to Den Blå Avis (dba.dk.)

Here, you find anything from a new apartment to a cheap sofa, or even a stuffed fox. Remember to barter and get the price down!

The site is in Danish, so have a dictionary on hand.

A Danish equivalent to the auction site Ebay is called QXL . This site is also in Danish.

3. When in Scandinavia, do flat-pack

What could be more Scandinavian than mass-produced, colourful flat-pack ready-to-assemble furniture?

IKEA is the place to go for the finishing touches of plaids, bedcovers, cushions and plants when you have found your funky retro furniture on the cheap elsewhere. Or, more likely, when you have found your second hand Ikea furniture.

While you are there, don’t miss out on the famous IKEA meatballs (Swedish ‘Köttbullar’, pronounced ‘Shit-boola’!) and snag a DKK 5 cinnamon bun, or kanelsnegl (‘cinnamon-snail!’).

The nearest IKEA is in Gentofte (to the North of the city). You can get there by taking bus number 150S from Nørreport Station, towards Kokkedal Station. Get off at the stop called Brogårdsvej.

4. Stolen bikes, the legal way

Make (other people’s) crime pay. Snag a bargain at a police auction!

The Copenhagen police regularly hold auctions (via the company Topauktioner) to get rid of all the stolen and lost property that they receive and can’t reunite with its original owner.

Keep an eye on the calendar for the next auction, and familiarize yourself with the rules, at The Topauktioner website.

Here is our latest report and review of a police bike auction.

Here are our more general tips on how to get a used bike in Copenhagen.

5. Free stuff

If you would rather spend your cash on drinks and travel, you can scavenge good free furniture at one of the city’s recycling stations. On a good day you can find good quality furniture, lamps and even clothes. For those with mechanical skills, recycling stations are also a great place to find bicycle parts.

Be prepared for some jostling around for furniture and electronic goods, but small items such as books are easily available

Many stations have a separate section for unwanted but undamaged items, but be wary that lately professional flea market salesmen have started lurking around these places to grab the most valuable pieces. Be prepared for some jostling around for furniture and electronic goods, but small items such as books are easily available.

One of the best places to start is Møllegade Genbrugsstation in Nørrebro.

So that’s it. Happy bargain hunting!

Do you need a more general guide to living cheap? Here is how to live on a student budget in Copenhagen