💰 Quick Context: Kroner, Cards and a Cash Backup
Greenland uses the Danish krone (DKK) and charges no VAT, but imported goods, flights and excursions make it one of the most expensive places to travel. Cards work in the towns, where the Bank of Greenland has cash machines in about fifteen places. Carry DKK 1,000 to 2,000 as a backup, because card terminals stop working when a town's telecom connection fails. In settlements, the Pilersuisoq store is often the only shop and bank agent, and accepts dollars or euros at its own rate.
🎧 Order Danish Kroner Before You Fly
A kroner backup for the day the card terminals go down. Insured delivery, 2–5 days.
Order DKK → CEI Currency ExchangeDanish Kroner, No VAT, and Why Everything Still Costs More
Greenland uses the Danish krone. It is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and uses the same notes and coins as Copenhagen, written DKK or kr. There is no separate Greenlandic currency to buy, and kroner left over at the end of a trip are as good in Denmark as in Nuuk.
No VAT, but not a bargain. Greenland left the European Community in 1985 and sits outside the EU. It does not charge VAT, so Denmark's 25 percent moms is not added to prices. That does not make it cheap. Almost everything is shipped or flown in, and freight costs, import duties and small, scattered markets push prices well above Denmark's for most goods. Alcohol is especially expensive and its sale is restricted to set hours.
What drives a Greenland budget. Not the price of a sandwich, but three big items: flights between towns, excursions and accommodation. A boat trip among the icebergs, a day of dog sledding or a helicopter transfer can each cost as much as a night in a good hotel. These are booked and paid in advance by card, so the cash you carry matters less than the credit limit on your card.
Flights, Boats and No Roads Between Towns
There are no roads between Greenland's towns. Every journey from one settlement to another is by plane, helicopter or boat, and that is where most visitors' money goes.
Air Greenland runs the domestic network of fixed-wing flights and helicopters, and fares on short hops can rival transatlantic tickets. Book early by card for the lowest fares. Weather delays are routine, particularly on helicopter routes, and airlines rebook rather than refund. Keep some slack in your itinerary and budget for an unplanned night.
Coastal boats. Passenger ferries run along parts of the west coast in summer, and local boat operators carry passengers between towns and settlements. Tickets are booked in advance; in small places, payment may be in cash at the harbour.
Getting there. Nuuk's new international runway, opened in late 2024, has brought direct jet flights from Copenhagen and seasonal routes from North America, alongside the traditional gateway at Kangerlussuaq. Our Nuuk Airport guide covers arrival, the cash machine and the ride into town.
Cards, Outages and the Case for a Cash Backup
Cards work in the towns. In Nuuk, Ilulissat, Sisimiut and the other larger towns, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, tour operators and taxis accept Visa and Mastercard, and the Danish Dankort is universal among residents. American Express is accepted by some hotels and larger businesses. Contactless is common.
The connection is the weak point. Greenland's card payments depend on long-distance telecom links, and when a subsea cable fault, a storm or a satellite problem cuts the connection, card terminals in a town can stop working for hours or longer. Residents keep cash for exactly this reason, and so should you. Carry enough kroner to buy food and pay a taxi for a day or two if the terminals go down.
Settlements run on cash. In small villages there may be one shop and no bank at all. Carry what you need for the whole visit, in kroner, before leaving the town.
How much to carry. DKK 1,000 to 2,000 per person in mixed notes is a sensible backup for a week based in the towns, more if you are heading to settlements. Excursions and hotels still go on the card.
The Village Store That Is Also the Bank
Pilersuisoq. In smaller towns and settlements, the state-owned Pilersuisoq store is often the only shop, and it doubles as the post office and the local agent of the Bank of Greenland. Staff there can carry out some basic banking on the bank's behalf, and the shop may be able to give you cash with a card when its connection is up, but do not rely on it.
Foreign cash is accepted, at the shop's rate. Pilersuisoq stores in settlements accept payment in several foreign currencies, including euros, US dollars, Canadian dollars, pounds, and Norwegian and Swedish kroner, as well as Danish kroner. Change comes back in kroner, at a rate set by the shop. That is a useful safety net for a cruise passenger who arrives with dollars, not a way to save money.
Opening hours are short. Village stores close early and may not open on Sundays. When a cruise ship is in, queues can be long.
How to Get Kroner for Your Greenland Trip
The cheapest kroner come out of a Bank of Greenland machine in one of the towns, but there are only around fifteen towns with machines at all, so the order you do things in matters.
Bring Danish kroner with you
US travellers can have CEI Currency Exchange ship Danish kroner to a US address with insured 2 to 5 day delivery. Arriving with kroner covers a late landing, a taxi, and the day the card terminals stop working. The same notes work in Copenhagen if you are connecting through Denmark.
Withdraw from a Bank of Greenland machine in town
Cash machines are found in about fifteen towns, including Nuuk, Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Kangerlussuaq, Qaqortoq, Maniitsoq, Aasiaat and Tasiilaq, and they accept Visa and Mastercard. Withdraw in the town before heading to a settlement. Our ATM fee calculator shows what your own bank adds.
Relying on foreign cash or a single card
Dollars and euros are accepted in some village stores at the shop's own rate, and nowhere else reliably. A single card is a single point of failure in a country where the nearest branch may be a flight away. Carry two cards from different banks and some kroner.
For a side-by-side comparison of every method, see our complete Getting Currency guide →.
Best ATMs to Use in Greenland
Greenland has essentially one bank for visitors. There is no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in Greenland or in Denmark, so a BoA card pays its normal non-network fees at every machine.
Bank of Greenland (Grønlandsbanken)
Greenland's main bank, with branches in Nuuk, Sisimiut, Qaqortoq, Ilulissat and Maniitsoq, and cash machines in about fifteen towns. Accepts Visa, Mastercard and Dankort. In smaller places it is represented by the Pilersuisoq store and post office.
Top Pick⚠️ Choose Kroner on Every Screen
Some tour operators, hotels and shop terminals offer to charge a foreign card in dollars or euros. Accepting hands the exchange rate to the terminal's provider at a markup. On a Greenland budget, where a single excursion can cost thousands of kroner, that markup is real money. Choose kroner every time. Our dynamic currency conversion explainer shows how the numbers work.
Excursions, Cruise Stops and What Things Cost
Excursions are the budget. A boat trip among the icebergs of the Ilulissat Icefjord, whale watching from Nuuk, a day of dog sledding in the north in winter, or a helicopter flight to the ice sheet can cost from several hundred to several thousand kroner per person. Book with established operators and pay by card; many have minimum numbers and cancel for weather, with a refund or rebooking.
Cruise passengers. Many visitors arrive on a cruise ship and spend a few hours in a town. Ship excursions are paid on board. Ashore, card payment works in the town's shops and cafes; tender landings at settlements are where some kroner, or the village store's acceptance of foreign cash, help.
Everyday prices. A coffee costs more than in Copenhagen, a restaurant main course in Nuuk or Ilulissat is typically DKK 250 to 450, and a beer in a bar well over DKK 60. Supermarkets such as Pisiffik and Brugseni in the towns are where to save money on food. Taxis in Nuuk are metered and take cards.
Souvenirs. Tupilak carvings, sealskin and musk ox wool are sold in the towns. Sealskin products from Greenland's Inuit hunt can be imported into the EU with the correct labelling, but US law bans importing seal products, so check the rules for where you live before buying.
Tipping in Greenland
Not expected. Like Denmark, Greenland includes service in prices, and restaurants, taxis and hotels do not expect tips. Rounding up a bill or leaving a little for an exceptional guide on a long excursion is appreciated but entirely optional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What currency is used in Greenland?
The Danish krone (DKK), the same notes and coins used in Denmark. Greenland has no separate currency. Kroner left over at the end of your trip can be spent or exchanged in Denmark.
Can I use US dollars or euros in Greenland?
Only in a limited way. Pilersuisoq village stores in smaller towns and settlements accept euros, US and Canadian dollars, pounds and Norwegian and Swedish kroner, at the shop's own rate, with change in Danish kroner. Elsewhere, pay in kroner or by card.
Do credit cards work in Greenland?
Yes, in the towns. Hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, tour operators and taxis in Nuuk, Ilulissat, Sisimiut and other towns accept Visa and Mastercard. Card payments depend on telecom links, though, and terminals can stop working during an outage, so carry some kroner as a backup, and more in settlements.
Are there ATMs in Greenland?
Yes, in about fifteen towns, including Nuuk, Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Kangerlussuaq, Qaqortoq, Maniitsoq, Aasiaat and Tasiilaq. They are run by the Bank of Greenland and accept Visa, Mastercard and Dankort. Small settlements have none, so withdraw in a town first.
Does Greenland have VAT?
No. Greenland is outside the EU and does not charge VAT, so Denmark's 25 percent rate does not apply. Prices are still high because nearly everything is imported by sea or air, and import duties apply to some goods, especially alcohol and tobacco.
How much money do I need for a trip to Greenland?
More than for most destinations. Flights between towns, excursions and hotels are the big costs and are paid by card, often in advance. Restaurant mains in the towns run about 250 to 450 kroner. Carry 1,000 to 2,000 kroner per person in cash as a backup for a week.
Is there an ATM at Nuuk Airport?
Yes, the terminal at Nuuk's rebuilt airport has a cash machine, and there are Bank of Greenland machines in the city centre about fifteen minutes away. See the Nuuk Airport guide for the taxi and bus into town.
Greenland money toolkit
Deep-dive guides for specific banks, airports, and traveler nationalities in Greenland. Each one builds on this overview with card-by-card fee math, exact ATM locations, or terminal-by-terminal directions.
Go deeper: Greenland and Denmark
This page covers Greenland as a whole. For arrival at the capital's new international airport, the Nuuk Airport guide. For the currency's home country and the most common connection, the Denmark and Copenhagen guides.
Hero photo: houses along the coast in Nuuk, Greenland, by amanderson2, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.