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.
Cost of accommodation in Denmark
The price of housing in Denmark varies greatly depending on type of accommodation and location. Individual apartments tend to be more expensive than e.g. dormitories and the larger cities are less affordable than rural areas. Here are a couple of examples:
- 1-room apartment in dormitory in Horsens, 39 m2 with own bath and kitchenette: 2400 DKK/month + utilities
- 2-room apartment through a housing association in Herning, 48 m2 with own bath and kitchen: 3800 DKK/month + utilities
- 1-room apartment through private landlord in Aarhus, 42 m2 with own kitchen and bath: 6250 DKK/month + utilities
- Furnished room in shared apartment in Horsens, 20 m2 shared kitchen and bath with 3 others: 2800 DKK/month including utilities
Learn more about Housing in Denmark
Food costs 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 200-270 EUR/1500-2000 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, Fakta and Lidl. Most super market chains have apps with cupons and members offers. The app "Too Good to Go" is also worth checking out. It is a platform where you can buy surplus goods and meals from super markets, bakeries, restaurants and the like at great discounts.
Here are some examples of prices of common foods (updated April 2023):
1 liter of milk 12-13 DKK
1 loaf of bread 15-25 DKK
1 kg apples 20 DKK
1 kg potatoes 10 DKK
½ kg boneless chicken breast 35 DKK
12 large eggs 25-30 DKK
Medical and dentist prices
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 hospitals and emergency services.
The Danish healthcare system and how it works
However, medicine and dental work are not covered. You could consider getting additional health insurance for these expenses. Learn more about insurances in Denmark. Here are a couple of price examples:
10 paracetamol tablets 20 DKK
Checkup at the dentist (diagnostics) free for 18-21 year olds/175 DKK if you are older than 21
Transportation costs
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 20-25 DKK for a short bus ride within the city limits. You can also purchase a monthly bus pass for around 350 DKK/month or use "Rejsekortet", an electronic ticketing system that can be used across transport operators and travel zones and offers discounts based on when and how often you travel.
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 500-1000 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 12-14 DKK per liter (April 2023). Go to Insurance in Denmark to learn more about car insurance and bringing your vehicle to Denmark.
Other living costs in 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, internet, tv EUR 40/DKK 300
- Books and other school supplies EUR 40/DKK 300
- Food EUR 200/DKK 1500
- Transport EUR 20/DKK 150
- Other personal expenses EUR 120/DKK 1000
- Total EUR 850-1000/DKK 6500-7500
Opening a bank account in Denmark
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 and your yellow CPR/health insurance 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.
Nemkonto
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.