Is Denmark a good place to live? Every year, Scandinavia’s southernmost country ranks near the top of the World Happiness Index. And if you look at liveable city surveys, the country’s capital — Copenhagen — is a regular fixture at (or near) the summit.
It’s impossible to ignore stories about Denmark in the news these days without noticing that the vast majority of them are positive. Free higher education, good healthcare, an excellent work-life balance… All of this can give the land of bicycles and Carlsberg a utopian sense.
If you’re looking to move somewhere else, you might well have Denmark at the top of your list. But before you invest in 10 different jackets to manage the volatile weather and book your one-way flight to Copenhagen, doing some prior research is a good idea.
This article, which was put together by one of our Denmark-based writers, will identify whether living in Denmark is as good as it’s made out to be. Let’s get started.
We’ll identify whether living in Denmark is as good as it’s made out to be.
Is Denmark a good place to live?
When determining whether Denmark is a good place to live, you need to look at the question from multiple angles. In the subsections below, we’ll identify how relocating to Denmark fares from a foreigner’s perspective.
Living conditions
Let’s get one thing straight — the living conditions in Denmark are largely excellent compared to the global average. Homes and apartments are well-insulated, meaning that you shouldn’t have too many issues keeping warm during those December days where you sometimes forget that the sun exists.
Denmark also has relatively low levels of poverty; in the country, “poverty” is relative and defined as earning 50% less than the country’s median income.
According to Statistics Denmark, 4.2% of the country’s population lived in relative poverty in 2020. Meanwhile, 8.7% of people were at risk of falling into Denmark’s poverty definition. These statistics did not include students.
Denmark also distributes its wealth relatively well, and you will find a pretty large middle class in the country. According to Trading Economics, the country had a Gini Coefficient of 27 in December 2021.
In Europe, only five countries fared better in this respect: Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia.
Living costs
Denmark’s excellent standards of living are, unsurprisingly, not cheap. The cost of living compared to many European countries is very high, and Copenhagen regularly ranks as one of the world’s most expensive cities.
Consumer goods in Denmark are also pricey. Thanks to 25% VAT, you will have to pay more for items like clothing than you may in other countries such as the UK.
One thing worth noting, however, is that your cost of living will vary significantly depending on where in Denmark you live. Accommodation is particularly pricey in Copenhagen and Aarhus, but you can find pretty well-priced homes in smaller cities.
Even if you only travel 30 minutes outside of Copenhagen by public transport, you can find a place to live for much less than if you stayed in the city center.
While accommodation and groceries in Denmark are expensive, the good news is that you have more control over your living costs elsewhere.
The country has an excellent cycling network, meaning that — unless you’re going to the airport or you live further away from an urban area — you don’t really need public transport or a car.
Similarly, you will find plenty of free and affordable things to do — such as swimming in Copenhagen’s clean harbor water. Alcohol is also less expensive than in most of the other Nordic countries.
Ease of settling in for foreigners
Denmark is a great place to live once you’ve settled in, but doing so can take a long time. The language has a reputation for being difficult to learn — but if we’re being honest, it’s not as hard as most people think.
While most Danes speak very good English, building a network of friends can be incredibly challenging if you don’t speak the local language. However, befriending Danes isn’t impossible — even if you don’t speak Danish.
The best way to meet like-minded people is by participating in hobbies that interest you. Many Danes are a part of clubs and societies, such as rowing. Consider starting something new, too, like CrossFit.
Putting yourself in these settings will allow you to meet new people that you have something in common with, and you can also practice your language skills as a bonus.
The good news is that while making friends in Denmark takes time, most Danes are very friendly to foreigners. Yes, racism does exist — just like in every other country — but the vast majority of people in Denmark are welcoming.
You will need to adapt to the rules of Danish society, but that would be the same if you were to move to any other country.
When you first move to Denmark, the process of setting everything up is straightforward. However, you may need to wait for varying lengths of time between completing each thing — such as getting your CPR number and opening a Danish bank account. The immigration authorities and local municipalities are helpful with questions you may have.
One thing worth noting is that many correspondences, such as letters from the government, won’t have an English translation. So, you’ll need to use a translation service if you don’t speak Danish yet.
Weather
When looking to move somewhere new, you might want to go to a country with sunny weather. Is Denmark a good place to live in this respect? Short answer: No.
Danish weather is notoriously unpredictable, and it’s incredibly windy for much of the year. And thanks to cloud cover, you can go weeks without seeing sunshine in some cases.
Having said that, summers in Denmark are glorious. The weather is usually reliable in June, July, and early August — and you have plenty of daylight hours to get outside and enjoy it.
Public services
Tax rates in Denmark are notoriously high, but you do get a benefit. The country has very good public services; higher education is free, and Danish/EU students get paid to study, for example.
Healthcare is also largely free, and public transport usually runs on time.
Working conditions
When moving to Denmark, you will need to support yourself financially. For most people, that will come through a job. If you secure employment in Denmark, you’ll enjoy some of the world’s best working conditions.
Danes work some of the fewest hours in Europe, and you’re not expected to work late in most offices. Moreover, you can take five weeks of paid vacation throughout the year; many Danish employees and businesses go on vacation for most (if not all) of July.
Salaries in Denmark are also higher than in most European countries, so you shouldn’t have too many problems dealing with the cost of living here.
Economic opportunities
To secure a job in Denmark, understanding the country’s key industries is a good idea.
Denmark is one of the world’s leaders in sustainability, and its renewable energy sector is an important part of the country’s economy. Pharmaceuticals are also a key industry here, and Novo Nordisk is one of the Copenhagen Region’s most important employers.
Agriculture is also crucial to the Danish economy, as is IT. Increasingly, tourism has become another revenue source for Denmark; over 33 million people visited the country in 2019, and the industry generates billions of dollars in annual revenue.
Raising a family
Is Denmark a good place to live if you’re raising a family? The answer is an absolute yes.
When you have a child in the country, the mother and father can take up to 40 weeks of maternity/paternity leave. Denmark also has excellent facilities for childcare, and most cultural institutions — such as museums — are incredibly welcoming to children.
Living in Denmark also means having low crime rates, even if you’re in a big city like Copenhagen.
Things to do
When you live somewhere, you’ll want to ensure that you have things to do. And in Denmark, you will find a wide range of activities — especially in the bigger cities.
Denmark has a thriving cultural scene, with several excellent museums and galleries. Examples include Louisiana, which is just north of Copenhagen, and the ARoS Museum in Aarhus.
While many tourists only see Copenhagen, the country’s dynamic capital isn’t the only place worth seeing. You will find attractions all over the country, such as Legoland in Billund and Ribe — the country’s oldest town.
Although Denmark doesn’t have the same level of dramatic scenery as Norway or Iceland, you will still find a selection of natural attractions. Møns Klint and Thy National Park are two examples.
If you decide to make Denmark your home, you’re also placed in an ideal position for travel. Oslo and Stockholm are an hour away from Copenhagen by plane, as is Berlin.
You can travel to Hamburg in a similar amount of time, and even if you take a direct train, the journey is only four-and-a-half hours.
Denmark is generally a good place to live
Is Denmark a good place to live? If we speak in general terms, the answer is yes. However, you will also need to think about things from a personal perspective.
Denmark offers excellent living standards, low crime rates, and good levels of income equality. Working conditions are also excellent, and there are plenty of fun things to do.
On the flip side, you might not like that the weather isn’t great for most of the year. The cost of living and high taxes are also bothersome for some.
If you’re on the fence about moving to Denmark but you have the opportunity to do so, it’s worth at least trying it. You will at least, in that case, have a definitive answer.
Now you know about living in Denmark, why not find out how to move to Denmark?
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.
