Is Denmark a Good Place to Live?
Whether Denmark is a good place to live comes down to trade-offs. This page lays out the strengths and the drawbacks side by side, straight from Eurostat figures on cost of living, pay, safety, healthcare and wellbeing.
The verdict
The short answer
Short answer: Denmark is a genuinely mixed picture on the numbers, with 4 clear strengths against 4 weak spots. The standout in its favour is strong take-home pay; the one to weigh against it is stretched housing budgets. Self-reported life satisfaction is 7.7/10.
The case for
Why Denmark works
- Strong take-home pay. Net salary (single) of 41.981 €/yr, 56% above the EU average.
- A low poverty rate. At-risk-of-poverty of 11.8 %, 28% below the EU average.
- A relatively light tax wedge. Tax wedge on labour of 34.1 %, 10% below the EU average.
- High life satisfaction. Life satisfaction of 7.7 /10, 7% above the EU average.
The case against
What to weigh up
- Stretched housing budgets. Housing cost overburden of 23.4 % of pop., 204% above the EU average.
- Patchy healthcare access. Unmet healthcare need of 2.9 %, 21% above the EU average.
- A high cost of living. Price level of 120.2 EU=100, 20% above the EU average.
- A weak job market. Unemployment of 6.4 %, 7% above the EU average.
Cost of living
How expensive is Denmark?
The overall price level is 120.2 on the EU=100 scale, so day-to-day spending runs 20% above the EU average. Housing is where budgets are decided: 23.4% of residents spend more than 40% of income on it, 204% above the EU average, and that share is far higher in the big cities than the national figure shows. For the full breakdown of prices, pay and what is left over, see our cost of living in Denmark guide.
Safety
Is Denmark safe?
The homicide rate is 0.87 per 100,000 (the 17th-lowest of 30 European countries), the safety figure least open to interpretation. Alongside it, 6.3% report crime or disorder in their own area (37% below the EU average), which captures how safe places actually feel. Neighbourhood choice moves both numbers more than the national average does.
Healthcare
Healthcare in Denmark
Life expectancy at birth is 82 years, around the EU average, a blunt but honest summary of how the health system and living conditions hold up over a lifetime. Access looks like this: 2.9% of people report a medical need that went unmet on cost, distance or waiting time, 21% above the EU average. For newcomers the practical step is registering with the local system early, since access improves markedly once you are in it.
Work
Working in Denmark: pay and jobs
A single worker on an average wage keeps about 41.981 EUR/year net after a 34.1% tax wedge (10% below the EU average). Unemployment stands at 6.4% with an employment rate of 79.8%, a comparatively open market, though sector and language still decide a lot. Read the salary against the 120.2 price level rather than on its own; see our cost guide for that comparison.
Fit
Who Denmark suits
For families, the signals that matter are safety (0.87 homicides per 100,000), healthcare access (2.9% unmet need) and space (9.9% overcrowding); on balance Denmark asks for more homework here. Remote workers care about connectivity and costs: broadband reaches 97.42% of households, which removes the main practical barrier, while the 120.2 price level sets what a foreign salary buys. Career movers should weight the 6.4% unemployment rate and 41.981 EUR/year net wage most heavily.
Context
How Denmark compares with its neighbours
| 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
Is Denmark a good place to live: FAQ
Is Denmark a good place to live for expats?
On the data it is a genuinely mixed picture, with 4 clear strengths and 4 drawbacks. It tends to suit people whose priorities line up with its strengths; check the lists above against your own.
What are the downsides of living in Denmark?
The main ones on the data: stretched housing budgets, patchy healthcare access, a high cost of living.
Is Denmark safe?
Denmark records 0.87 homicides per 100,000 (the 17th-lowest of 30 European countries), making it around the European midfield on safety. Perceived crime in residential areas runs at 6.3%.
Is Denmark good for families?
The family-relevant signals: safety (0.87 per 100,000), healthcare access (2.9% unmet need), overcrowding (9.9%) and the 11.8% at-risk-of-poverty rate. Together they are mixed, so check the specific town.
Is Denmark good for remote workers?
Broadband reaches 97.42% of households and the price level is 120.2 (EU=100), which together decide whether a foreign salary lands comfortably.
How is the healthcare in Denmark?
Life expectancy is 82 years (around the EU average) and 2.9% report an unmet medical need, 21% above the EU average.
What does it cost to live in Denmark?
The price level is 120.2 against EU=100, 20% above the EU average; see our full cost of living in Denmark guide for prices, salaries and tax.
Source: Eurostat (latest available years). National averages; figures vary by region and city. See the methodology.