Cost of Living in Denmark
How expensive is Denmark, really? Here is the cost of living next to salaries, tax, safety and quality of life, against the EU benchmark.
Where Denmark ranks in Europe
The short version
How to read this: a fuller bar means Denmark ranks better among the 30 European countries compared; the figure on the right is the actual value. Hover any bar to see the EU average.
On price level Denmark sits at 120.2 against an EU benchmark of 100, so day-to-day costs run 20% above the EU average. A single worker keeps about 41.981 net per year, while the tax wedge on labour is 34.1%, 10% below the EU average. The labour market reads: unemployment 6.4% and an employment rate of 79.8%. People report a life satisfaction of 7.7 out of 10 and a life expectancy of 82 years.
Cost of living & housing
What it costs to live in Denmark
Start with the cost side.
Price level. A price level of 120.2 means everyday spending runs 20% above the EU average, so budget against local prices rather than what you paid back home.
Household electricity. Power costs 0.2847 EUR/kWh here (around the EU average); worth modelling if you rent an older, less insulated flat where winter heating bites.
Housing cost overburden. A housing-overburden rate of 23.4% (204% above the EU average) hints at how stretched budgets are by rent, though your own figure depends heavily on city versus region.
Housing overcrowding. Overcrowding affects 9.9% of households (41% below the EU average), a rough guide to how much living space your money buys compared with the rest of Europe.
In practice, living in Denmark costs 20% above the EU average, but the number that really decides your monthly budget is rent, and that varies far more by city than the national average shows. Treat groceries, transport and utilities as the smaller, more predictable lines once housing is settled.
Work & income
Salaries, tax and jobs
Now the income side.
Net salary (single). A single worker keeps about 41.981 EUR/year net (56% above the EU average); read it next to the price level to judge real spending power, not just the headline.
Tax wedge on labour. The tax wedge is 34.1% (10% below the EU average), the gap between what an employer pays and what you keep; expect your net to differ from a gross offer by roughly this much.
Unemployment. Unemployment sits at 6.4% (7% above the EU average); the higher it is, the more it pays to arrive with a contract already signed rather than job-hunting on the ground.
Employment rate. An employment rate of 79.8% (around the EU average) signals how much work is being done around you, useful context for the job hunt.
If you are moving to Denmark for work, read the salary against local prices: a 41.981 EUR/year net wage stretches less than the headline suggests, and the 34.1% tax wedge means take-home is smaller than a gross offer suggests. With unemployment at 6.4%, having a contract signed before you arrive is the safer route for most newcomers.
Safety & health
How safe and healthy is Denmark
How safe and how healthy is daily life here?
Homicide rate. At 0.87 homicides per 100,000 (the 17th-lowest of 30 European countries) this is the hardest safety figure to game and a fair baseline for personal security.
Perceived crime. Perceived crime at 6.3% (37% below the EU average) reflects feeling as much as fact, but it is a useful steer for where arrivals tend to feel comfortable.
Life expectancy. Life expectancy of 82 years (around the EU average) doubles as a rough proxy for healthcare quality and everyday lifestyle.
Unmet healthcare need. Unmet healthcare need at 2.9% (21% above the EU average) hints at how reachable and affordable care will be once you register with the local system.
Is Denmark safe? On the hardest measure the homicide rate is the 17th-lowest of 30 European countries, a fair baseline for personal security, while perceived crime at 6.3% captures how neighbourhoods actually feel day to day. For healthcare, a 82-year life expectancy and a 2.9% unmet-need rate are a rough guide to how reachable care will be once you register locally.
Quality of life
The softer signals
The quality-of-life side:
Life satisfaction. Self-reported life satisfaction is 7.7/10 (7% above the EU average); it tends to track job security and public services, the things that make settling in easier.
At-risk-of-poverty. 11.8% live at risk of poverty (28% below the EU average); it points to how strong the safety net is if work or health goes sideways.
Income inequality (Gini). An income-inequality score of 28.2 (around the EU average) hints at how wide the gap is between affluent and cheaper areas, which shapes where you can afford to live.
Broadband coverage. Broadband reaches 97.42% of households (around the EU average); a real factor if you plan to work remotely or run anything online from home.
Quality of life in Denmark shows up as 7.7/10 life satisfaction, 7% above the EU average, driven more by job security and public services than by scenery or weather. For remote workers, broadband reaching 97.42% of households means connectivity rarely gets in the way, and the 11.8% poverty-risk rate hints at how strong the safety net is if plans change.
Compared with its neighbours
Denmark compared
| Country | Price level EU=100 |
Net salary (single) €/yr |
Tax wedge on labour % |
Life satisfaction /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 120.2 | 41.981 | 34.1 | 7.7 |
| Germany | 102.7 | 31.000 | 42.7 | 7 |
| Sweden | 106.4 | 34.624 | 40.4 | 7.4 |
| Netherlands | 98.9 | 35.837 | 30.7 | 7.6 |
Denmark set against the neighbours people most often weigh it against. National averages from Eurostat; living costs vary widely within each country.
More on Denmark
Read next
Practical guides
Setting up life in Denmark
The admin side of moving to Denmark, sorted by what you will need first.
Common questions
Cost of living in Denmark: FAQ
Is Denmark a good place to live?
The data leans positive on quality of life, with 7.7/10 life satisfaction and a 82-year life expectancy. The figure to weigh against that is the labour market, with unemployment at 6.4%. So Denmark tends to suit people who arrive with an income already arranged.
What is the cost of living in Denmark?
The overall price level is 120.2 against EU=100, i.e. 20% above the EU average. Electricity is 0.2847 €/kWh and 23.4% of people are housing-cost overburdened.
What is the average salary in Denmark?
A single worker keeps roughly 41.981 €/year net. There is no statutory minimum wage; pay floors are set by collective agreement.
How high are taxes in Denmark?
The tax wedge on labour (income tax plus social contributions, single worker) is 34.1%, 10% below the EU average of 38%.
What is working in Denmark like?
The employment rate (20–64) is 79.8% and unemployment 6.4%. Securing a role before relocating is the safer route.
Source: Eurostat (multiple datasets, latest available years). National averages; figures vary by region and city. See the methodology.