All you need to know about cost of living in Denmark

Denmark has a high standard of living and correspondingly high wages, but it is absolutely possible to get by as a student. Here is everything you need to know about living costs in Denmark. 

Living costs

Housing, food, transportation and leisure activities can be expensive in Denmark, but salaries are correspondingly high and many services such as medical treatment and education is paid through taxes.

For currency conversion, Denmark uses Danish kroner (DKK). As a practical rule of thumb, 1 EUR is approximately 7.47 DKK.

woman looking at juice in supermarket

 

  • The price of housing in Denmark varies greatly depending on type of accommodation and location. Student dormitories and rooms in shared flats are usually cheaper than private apartments, and larger cities such as Aarhus are generally more expensive than rural areas.

    Here are a couple of examples:

    • Student housing / dorm room
      • 19 m2 dorm room with own bathroom and shared kitchen in Aarhus: 2945 DKK/month + utilities
      • 40 m2 student apartment with own bathroom and kitchenette in Horsens: 2740 DKK/month + utilities 
      • 41 m2 student apartment with own bathroom and kitchen in Herning: 2474 DKK/month + utilities
    • Private room in apartment / shared accommodation
      • 20 m2 room in a shared apartment in Aarhus: 4325 DKK/month + utilities
      • 25 m2 room in a shared student apartment in Horsens: 2875 DKK/month + utilities
      • 22 m2 room in a shared apartment in Herning: 2800 DKK/month + utilities
    • 1-room apartment
      • 29 m2 apartment in Aarhus: 5650 DKK/month + utilities
      • 39 m2 apartment in Horsens: 4999 DKK/month + utilities 
      • 38 m2 apartment in Herning: 3995 DKK/month + utilities
    • 2-room apartment
      • 61 m2 apartment in Aarhus: 7975 DKK/month + utilities 
      • 59 m2 apartment in Horsens: 5300 DKK/month + utilities 
      • 63 m2 apartment in Herning: 5350 DKK/month + utilities

    Learn more about Housing in Denmark

  • When it comes to the cost of food Denmark range among the more expensive countries in Europe. Depending on your shopping habits you should expect to spend 260-400 EUR/2000-3000 DKK on food per month.

    You can save a lot of money by cooking your own meals and shopping at discount supermarkets such as Netto, REMA 1000, 365discount and Lidl. Most supermarket chains have apps with coupons and members offers and if you download the app “MineTilbud” you can get an overview of the current discounts in most of the Danish supermarkets. The app "Too Good to Go" is also worth checking out. It is a platform where you can buy surplus goods and meals from supermarkets, bakeries, restaurants and the like at great discounts.

    Here are some examples of prices of common foods in Denmark (updated June 2026): 1 liter of milk costs 10-14 DKK, a loaf of bread costs around 20-25 DKK and ½ kg boneless chicken breast is around 35 DKK. For more examples you can check out NUMBEO where people all over the world share costs of living in different countries.

  • Denmark has free, universal healthcare for all residents funded by taxes. Therefore, most expenses in relation to medical treatment are free of charge. This includes checkups at your general practitioner, treatment at public hospitals and emergency services.

    The Danish healthcare system and how it works

    However, dental work and prescription medicine are not fully covered for adults. Dental care is free for children and young people under 22 if they are covered by the municipal dental-care scheme, while adults usually pay for dental care themselves. Here are a couple of price examples:

    10 paracetamol tablets, 500 mg: 20 DKK

    Checkup at the dentist (diagnostics) free for 18-21 year olds/ 110-195 DKK if you are older than 21

    You could consider getting additional health insurance for these expenses. Learn more about insurances in Denmark.

  • Denmark has a great and cheap public transportation system. Busses, trains and light rail systems make it easy to get around in and between the cities. Expect to pay 20-30 DKK for a short bus ride within the city limits.

    You can buy physical tickets from ticket offices, ticket machines or, in some cases, on board buses and trains. However, travelers are increasingly encouraged to use digital ticketing solutions such as the “Rejsekort” app, the “Rejsebillet” app or the “DSB” app. The “Rejsebillet” app is used to buy single tickets and commuter cards in advance, while the “Rejsekort” app and the “DSB” app’s check in function allow you to check in and out digitally. These apps calculate the fare automatically, and discounts may apply outside rush hours. If you travel regularly on the same route, a Commuter Card may be the most cost-effective option. It gives you unlimited travel on a specific route for a fixed monthly price.

    When arriving to Denmark, you will, however, quickly notice that there are bikes everywhere. Around 50% of students get to campus on bikes. You can purchase a reasonably good used bike for 500-1500 DKK and get the added bonus of daily exercise!

    Having a car is uncommon for Danish students as both cars and gasoline are heavily taxed in Denmark. Expect to pay 30,000-50,000 DKK for a small used car. Gasoline costs 15-17 DKK per liter (June 2026). Go to Insurance in Denmark to learn more about car insurance and bringing your vehicle to Denmark.

  • When making your budget, make sure to also include other expenses such as utilities, books, phone, internet and the like. Expect to spend at least 6500-7500 DKK per month supporting yourself.

    Here is an example of a student budget:

    • Rent incl. utilities                                                                                    EUR 400-500/DKK 3000-4000
    • Insurance                                                                                                EUR 30/DKK 200
    • Phone and internet                                                                                EUR 40/DKK 300
    • Books and other school supplies                                                   EUR 25/DKK 200
    • Food                                                                                                      EUR 250/DKK 1900
    • Transport                                                                                                EUR 30/DKK 200
    • Other personal expenses                                                                EUR 100/DKK 1000
    • Health care                                                                                            Free
    • Total                                                                                                      EUR 875-1000/DKK 6500-7500

  • Once you have you CPR number (ID number – read more about how to get a CPR number in Denmark), you can open a bank account at any branch. Just bring your passport or other picture ID, your yellow CPR/health insurance, your residence permit and your proof of enrolment to the bank of your choice. It may take a few weeks to get your new payment card, so make sure you have enough cash or a credit card from home to get you through the first weeks in Denmark.

  • Once you have your Danish bank account, you need to register it as a “Nemkonto” with the Danish tax authority. Nemkonto litteraly means easy account and allows public institutions to make direct payments to you, e.g. salary, tax reimburments, housing benefits and the like. Your Danish bank can help you set this up. Go to Nemkonto’s website to learn more about it.

Learn more

Frequently asked questions about living costs in Denmark

  • Compared to other countries, Denmark may seem more expensive to live in for students. However, the standard of living in Denmark is high and as are the salaries. In addition, healthcare, schools – elementary as well as universities – in addition to a number of other public services are finances through taxes and are thus free of charge. This means that students are able to live rather cheaply. Often, student discounts are available at e.g. bookstores, restaurants, hairdressers, which makes student life more affordable. You can support yourself by getting a student job – learn more about student jobs in Denmark here! and of course EU citizens can apply for Danish education support SU. 

  • Denmark is quite expensive to live in compared to other countries around the world when it comes to the prices of food and accommodation. However, free education and healthcare financed through taxes as well as proportionately higher salaries makes it more affordable to live here. Learn more about the Danish healthcare system and how it works here.

    There are multiple affordable accommodation options available to international students in Denmark – go to our Student accommodation in Denmark page to learn more about them.

  • No, dental care is not free in Denmark, as it is only covered for children and you people under the age of 25 through the universal, tax funded healthcare system. Therefore, residents have to pay for dental care themselves. It is also possible to purchase private health insurance to cover some or all of the expenses connected with dental care. Learn more about insurances in Denmark here. Contact your local dentist if you need dental care. It could be a good idea to ask for quotes from a few dentists to compare prices and get the best deal.

  • Yes, all residents in Denmark have access to free healthcare through the tax-funded public healthcare system. This means that it is free of charge to visit your general practitioner, get treatment at a hospital or clinic and receive emergency services. However, medicine is only covered partially through subsidies and dental care is only covered by the public healthcare plan if you are under the age of 25, so you have to pay for these yourself if you are older. Learn more about the Danish healthcare system and how it works here.