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Europe ยท Copenhagen

Cost of living in Denmark

Denmark is 12% cheaper than the US, ranking #21 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.

World Bank data through 2024 ยท last reviewed 2026-06.

Cost of living ยท US = 100
88.1
Ranks #21 of 203 ยท 12% cheaper than the US
GDP / capita (PPP)
$81,878
GNI / capita (PPP)
$84,680
Inflation ยท YoY
1.4%
Population
6M
Capital
Copenhagen
Density
149 /kmยฒ
Urban
89%
Area
42.9K kmยฒ

What drives the cost here

Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.

In Denmark, housing & utilities is the priciest category relative to the world (258), while communication is the most affordable (123).

Housing & utilities 258
Restaurants & hotels 206
Transport 178
Health 149
Food & groceries 140
Communication 123

Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) ยท source

Denmark on the map

What your money is worth here

A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $88,000 in Denmark.

Quality of life

97/100 ยท #14 of 198

Beyond cost โ€” health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).

Quality-of-life score
97 / 100
Our transparent equal-weight composite
Life expectancy
82 yrs
World Bank ยท 2024 ยท source
Safety ยท homicide /100k
0.8
UNODC ยท 2023 ยท source
Infant mortality /1k
4
World Bank ยท 2024 ยท source
Internet users
100%
ITU ยท 2024 ยท source
Safe drinking water
100%
WHO/UNICEF ยท 2024 ยท source
Air quality ยท PM2.5
9 ยตg/mยณ
WHO ยท 2020 ยท source

About Denmark

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is part of the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. The country has opted out of certain elements of the EU's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union and justice and home affairs issues. a 2022 referendum resulted in the removal of Denmark's 30-year opt-out on defense issues, now allowing Denmark to participate fully in the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy.

Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.

Frequently asked

Is Denmark expensive to live in?

Denmark is 12% cheaper than the US, ranking #21 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is housing & utilities; communication costs the least.

How much money do you need to live in Denmark?

A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $88,000 in Denmark, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.

Is Denmark cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Its overall price level is 88.1, against 100 for the United States.

What is the quality of life in Denmark?

Denmark scores 97 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#14 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 82 years.

Every number, sourced.

We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.

Price level index (US = 100)
Derived: nominal รท PPP GDP per capita, indexed to the US
88.1
GDP per capita (PPP)
World Bank ยท 2024 ยท source
$81,878
GNI per capita (PPP)
World Bank ยท 2024 ยท source
$84,680
Inflation (annual %)
World Bank ยท 2024 ยท source
1.4%
Population
World Bank ยท 2024 ยท source
6M
Population density
World Bank ยท 2023 ยท source
149 /kmยฒ
Urban population
World Bank ยท 2024 ยท source
89%
Surface area
World Bank ยท 2023 ยท source
42.9K kmยฒ

Explore more: compare countries ยท full ranking ยท Europe ยท wages in Denmark