Cost of living in Denmark

Hello Everyone,

I'm planning to apply for Demnark GC from India, I have few questions which will help me taking decision to move forward, your input would be appreciated.

A brief about me:

8+ years of International Sales and customer care exposure, worked in varied geographies in North America and MEA region from India. Hold valid USA (B1 visa) for 10 years, visited USA, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to add business partners. Masters in IT and Bachelors in commerce with one year of IT diploma course.

Have experience of managing and motivating a team of people, expansion of channels in different region internationally and execution of innovative and aggressive marketing strategies.

Languages: English, Punjabi and Hindi

1. I would request you to kindly brief a minimum salary that I can expect in Copenhagen, Denmark. I learnt following the blogs that 42% of earning is TAX, do I get anything for free like: Medical Insurance, Education (For Son or me), anything beyond??

2. What are the major job portals I should register with? How easy is it to get a job in Denmark?

3. What job is easy to get to earn the basic living in the initial stage and what is the salary expectation I should have with that job?

4. The cost of living can be learnt with the following basics, please add DKK to these and add more which are important:

a. Accommodation:
b. Transportation (monthly pass):
c. Grocery for 2 adult and 1 kid of 5 years:
d. Child's Monthly Education fee:
e. Weekend Dinner (Outside):
f. Movie Ticket:

5. What is the cost of motorbike, is it used for office transit? what are the cost associated if used in daily life?

6. Are there any indian schools? how does kids adapt to Denmark education system?

7. Are there Indian Association in Copenhagen?

8. If there is 4.5% unemployment then why the govt. is encouraging immigration of expat?

9. My wife is having 6+ years of experience and currently working for an IT company as Asst. Manager Business Development to get offshore business from USA, what kind of salary expectation should she have?

10. If both of the parents are working, how do people manage kids (Crutch)?? If yes, what kind of expense would be required?   

It would be really nice if you like to add more to my knowledge beyond the questions I have asked. This would definitely help me learn more and take a firm decision to process my papers.

Regards,
Amit

I think it is very important to stress that finding a job and having a nice life in Denmark depend very much upon you being able to speak Danish.
Finding a job in Denmark can be very difficult if you do not speak Danish.
People with good educations, university degrees, are driving busses and cleaning schools because their educations are not recognised in Denmark.
Those low education jobs, however you will still have to be able to speaking some Danish.

When it comes to living expenses, you can survive on 5000kr per month, for one person, but then it is very tight, (renting a single room in a share flat, cycling for transport, not going out for dinner, movies, etc.)

There are also other factors you must consider, because money alone will not make you happy, a lot of Danish people have a tendency to look down upon "foreign" people. And to be honest Danish people can be very racist. 

In regards to tax, you are going to pay a minimum of 38% of your wages. Depending on how much you earn you can pay as much as 60% per month. This sounds like a very large amount, however remember that medical insurance is free and schooling is free. There are also other benefits, depending on your circumstances..

Thanks Sarahk,

But i have more questions than replied and am very inquisitive, any thing beyond would help.

I'm thankful that fee and medical is been taken care off in that 40%... does it mean free for my son and me, if i try to do PHD or MBA after my MSC(IT)??

What do you mean when you say 40 to 60%, why 60%??

If the education is not recognized then why they get skilled immigration?? dont you think there is a gap in the govt. plan and action??

Are people export oriented?? cos that can get me a job?? if people has to converse outside the country then they have to speak english and nothing else, any comment?

Regards,
Amit

In regards to the tax range, then the minimum tax is 38% that is if you earn little money if you earn a lot of money then you will pay a higher %, up till 60% of your income.

Yes medical is free for everybody, if you just need to see a doctor about a minor thing it is free, if you need a surgery it is free, if you need cancer treatment it is free.

I am not too familiar with the Green card, with some qualifications maybe there will be no problems, especially within IT but doctors, nurses, and a lot of other professions you will have problems.

Denmark as a country does not export much, we do not have a lot of produce to export, must stuff are imported from the east. Clothing/Electronics/Cars/
Denmark does export designer clothes, jewellery, technology, medicine but it is very specific things. I suppose you can say that most people in Denmark work with services not trade and business.

Do not get me wrong everybody in Denmark speaks English, you learn English early in school and much music and television are from UK and US and therefore in English.
But the language your son will speak in school is Danish, in the super marked it is Danish in the cafeteria at work it is Danish, and when you speak to your colleagues it is going to be in Danish! It is not impossible to find a job as a English speaker, but it is going to be very lonely if you do not learn Danish.

In my opinion relocating to another country is a big step, maybe a holiday in Denmark would be a good idea to see if you like the country.
Also try to get a job offer before you go. two websites: jobnet.dk and jobindex.dk (they both have English options)

Hope I am being to some help:-D

Regards Sarah

hi ,

what will be the equivelent amount of 1 crown in Bangladeshi Taka?

According to this site, it's just over 14 Bangladeshi Taka. dkk.exchangerates24.com/bdt/?q=1

@ thisgirl: tnx a lot.

Dear Sarah,

Thanks for your valuable input, I have MSc(IT) and bachelors in commerce, the suitable job for me is international sales and I have been doing international sales for 8+ years.

I was not clear on one of the question:

1. does free education mean that I can join to do PHD or MBA for free if I'm on GC in Denmark or I'm to pay??

2. Does my son gets free education as he is 5 now?

3. If i bring my wife along can she also work??

4. Delhi University degree should be acceptable as the govt. acknowledges it only after that they issue visa, what do you say??

And thanks for suggesting that I should visit before I plan to relocate forever, I would plan it quick to affirm my decission but the preliminaries are to be done before I take step.

Hi there.

I am not sure what the particulars are of the GC, you will have to contact the Danish consulate for that. Or maybe check www.um.dk (the ministry of foreign affairs)

In Denmark you get employed by the university to do the PHD, you do not pay the university, but they pay you a salary. But as mentioned, I do not know if you can do that on a GC.

In Denmark children start school at 6 years, but the school is free, and your son would attend school for free. The school is in Danish so he might struggle to follow the classes and making friends. There are international schools, where they teach in English, but that is private schools.

You should be allowed to bring your wife, but I do not think that she would be allowed to work, check www.um.dk for that.

Yes I would assume that the government recognises your education if they have offered you a GC.

Hi All,

I am planning to move to Denmark for the future endeavor next year. However, I have some doubts about the career opportunities in Denmark.
I am software professional having 8 years of experience and working with US based company in India.
Below are my concerns about Denmark –
1)    How are the possibilities of Mainframe and SAS technologies in Denmark?
2)    I do not know Danish language (expect few basic words), Can I survive there with English speaking only?
3)    Which City in Denmark is the Hub of Software Industry and cost of its living?
4)    Is Denmark a best choice for future for software professional?
Please help me to come out these worries and let me know your suggestions also?

Hey y'all

I'm a college student in Canada, and I would like to go to Denmark to pursue my Business Studies in the University of Business of Coppenhagen.
The thing is, I don't know how the life is there, so if you could help me out with that I would be very grateful!
Basically I just want to know what is the life of a University student there?
Can you live well with what the money the Government gives you to pay for tuition?
And can I find a part-time job as a student? I'm learning Danish right now.. I won't be fluent fluent but I'll know the basics when I'll get there

And also, I heard that in Denmark, and all other Scandinavian countries, everybody is really happy. Is it true?
Is the living there that good?
Thank You very much!

Hi.

First of all, what money and the government?  In DK, for DK and EU students there is no tuition, and DK students get a salary from the government to study. The salary is about DKKR5000per month, you can live for that but that is really the minimum, a lot of students work part time jobs on the side. It is difficult to find a job though if you do not speak Danish. The only casual jobs would be things like cleaning, delivering newspapers, working in a scullery etc. (If I am not mistaken you can earn 100.000 DKKR tax free a year if you are a foreign student paying university fees, please check up on that though) Otherwise you pay about 40% in tax.

Okay, do not expect that you are going to get of the plan and be the happiest person in the world:) Yes people in the Scandinavian countries are amongst the happiest, mostly on the grounds of high living standards and a homogeneous society. However if you read a few more statistics you will find that the Scandinavian countries are also the countries with the highest suicide rates and alcohol abuse rates, especially amongst young people.

Maybe you should try and watch some Danish movies and read Danish novels to get an idea about how life is.

Good luck with it all.

Regards Sarah

Hi all,

could you help me, please? I was offered a job in CPH with a net total salary of 33000 DKK/month. I tried to find out on this blog and at another one, whether that could be sufficient for a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child) living a comfortable life, but I am still not sure.

1) We would need a downtown apartment with 3 bedrooms, preferably furnished. Is my estimation correct that it would cost appr. 15 000 DKK or was I just consulting the most expensive real estate agency sights? We don' t want an extremely big apartment, the important thing is that it shall have three separate bdrooms.

2) Is the remaining 18 000 DK sufficient for food, public transport, occasional cultural activities and visiting cafes and kindergarten/pre-school fee?  Or is the later one free in Denmark also for an expat? We don't really eat out in restros but would not like to spare on buying food either. I just came back from a visit from CPH and everything seems even more expensive than it is suggested at the blogs...

thank you so much for your answers in advance!!!

Hi.

Yes it will be enough for you to live on. You might also consider living a bit outside of CPH then you will be able to find a place for half the price of what you would pay in CPH and then travel 20 -30 minutes with the train.
Lots of people do that.

How old are you child? For children in kindergarten you have to pay, maybe about 1500 -2000 dkkr per month. School is free but the child has to be 6 years old. Also you might consider that sending your child to a normal school or kindergarten might not be the best option, considering your child does not speak Danish.   

Regards Sarah

Hi Sarakh,

thank you so much for your answer!

By live on, do you mean it is manageable with some efforts/austerity or do you mean it is rather easy?

My daughter is 4, but actually she doesn't speak English either, so a Danish kindergarten might be a better option for her, at least she would learn quickly how to communicate with children at her age

Hi.

I am speaking under correction do too the fact that I have not lived for longer periods of time in DK for quite a number of years now so things could have gone more expensive.
But I would say that you will pay about 2000 - 3000 dkkr per month per person for food, and then you live well with fresh milk, eggs, cheese, meat, fruit and vegetables etc.
You will have other expenses like, telephone, internet, TV licenses, personal insurance, transport, electricity, heat, etc for 3 people I would guess that it would all come to about 4000 dkkr per month, depending on your usage etc.
In DK you get medical insurance through the taxes you pay so you will not have to consider that.
You might also consider expenses for Danish lessons.

Excuse me for asking but what is the other adult in your family going to do?? In DK there are normally 2 adults supporting the family, if it is single parents then they will get various grants from the government. Like housing subsidy and kindergarten subsidy. And the other parent will help support the child. 
Also all families with children gets a childrens check 3 time a year, amount depending on the age of the child.         

I think you are right, your daughter would properly learn Danish quickly, children are so damn clever:D At the time she must start school she will be speaking Danish like all the other children.

Sarah

Hi everybody
I am planning to come to Denmark using Denmark green card.
I have got master degree in engineering and have 5 years of working experience (product design ,automation engineering ,PLC programming, etc)
Reading comments here about living costs has really confused me.
Somebody please give me a clue whether it is possible to find job there (in my field) or not.Please note that I am not that bad at learning new language but it may take about 2 to 5 months.(Can I find job during this period just being able to talk in English or not)
Another question about accommodation.How much really is minimum cost of renting a flat in Copenhagen.(May any one thinks that there would be better job opportunity in any other city of Denmark kindly let me know)
Much obliged
A.Anari(@gmail.com)

Hi Everyone,
I am planning to pursue Ph.D. living in Copenhagen. I am told that the monthly stipend will be around 23000 DKK. I am married and have a one year old daughter. Please tell me will be money be enough to sustain a decent life in Copenhagen? It would be great if someone could compare this money with the equivalent in Indian Rupees, in terms of similar standard of living.

Thanks,
Alok

Hi all,
      Glad to find this site which tells everything about living in Denmark.
Can someone tell me what is the conversion of Danish currency in Indian Money. For e.g. what is the value of 28.500DKK in Indian Money. Is this amount per month good enough to live in Denmark

You can find any currency conversions at this website: http://www.xe.com/

Thanks a lot for that information regarding currency Converter.


    So, is this amount(per month) good enough to have a good life at Denmark. Being a foreign nationale, how much of this will go as Tax?

Neetu, usually everyone pays the same amount of tax - say 40 or 50% depending on your salary - but it is possible that you might be able to get a tax refund once you leave the countr or consult the company to ask if you have to pay less as a foreign national....but usually this is not the case, but it could be in yours who knows.

Thanks new_in_norway for that input. Im concerned about the tax payment as im planning to pursue PhD from DTU. monthly stipend there will be about 28.500DKK.

please can anybody let me know what is the cost of living in Denmark for a family of four.two kids one age 11years and other 6.
do they have English schools?What is the Tax? and all about living like upper middle class or middle class life there?
thanx:)
Sania

hello there,
I am moving to Copenhagen for a 5-month internship and I am wondering how much money will I be needing per month. As a student my lifestyle is the average.Also I am reading in forums etc that finding a place to live (one room in my case) can be really hard. Is that true and what would you suggest me to do?I am planning to come a little earlier than my job starts in order to search and I am considering to go to an estate agency.Would it be any easier through that?Please give me any tips possible.
Thank you
Christina

Hi.

Renting through an agency is very expensive, I would try to find some thing privately and only go the agency route if unable to find something.

try www.boligportal.dk or www.lejebolig.dk there are other sites as well, just look for them.

Good luck to you,

Sarah

Dear Sarah,
thank you for your tips. I have already checked some sites, I've also sent a few mails-with no response so far- but I 've noticed that the sites do not fully cover the accomondation issue. At least, those that I have checked.
I really hope that I will stand lucky.
thanks again:)

Hello everyone.
I'm a Brazilian guy working from home, and I'm planning to move to Copenhagen. Is it possible to live in Denmark with US$3,500 per month, or 19,500 DKK? I'm going alone. Thank you all. Greetings from Brazil.

I've moved to Copenhagen from London, UK. I am actually probably in the minority who will say that the cost of living in Denmark is actually cheaper than compared to that of London.

Rent
We are living in a far larger apartment in Vesterbro than we were in London and are paying half in rent. Some expats that I have met here do not believe me when I say living in Copenhagen is cheaper than when in London but believe me, it's true! Rental prices in London are some of the most expensive in Europe. It's expensive however in comparison to somewhere like Berlin.

Travel
A bit difficult to judge as I rarely take public transport and walk/bike to places instead but considering that my monthly travelcard in London cost £130 (so around 1145kr) for two zones, I think I can safely say I would have been paying a lot more in London. A two zone klippekort can last a month for me.

Food
I am spending around the same however I am now mainly shopping in Netto. If I choose to shop at Føtex it probably adds up to slightly more but not like Switzerland standards!

Cars
I don't own a car but that is one thing that is definitely more expensive here. However cars are not that vital here so we don't need it.

Bars/eating out
Eating out is definitely a lot more expensive. However I am seeing more and more places that do reasonably priced set menus (again, I am comparing this to London so my idea of 'reasonably priced' may not match everyone's idea). It's when you add wine and beer that the price is jacked up. I do not drink spirits here. In terms of upmarket bars, it's definitely loads more expensive but they're not really my scene so I stay away. I tend to drink in bodega bars with my friends and the prices can actually be on par with those in London so I don't notice a massive difference.

Hi all

I am considering doing a PhD in Denmark at DTU

I was wondering whether anybody can tell me if 28000 DKK /p/m (before taxes) is enough to sustain 1 person, and if so what would the living standard be like?

Thank you !

Your best bet is to ask the university whether they have an accommodation list as student accommodation is cheaper.

Just a rough estimate - I would say on the average a young person like yourself might spend 5000 DKK monthly on accommodation - a small flat.

devbhargava wrote:

will be joining the aarhus business school in aug. What would my approx living costs be? And what salary could i expect as an MBA Graduate from ASB?? ....Also any squash courts in aarhus and what would be the cost to play?

Hi lads,

I'm considering Denmark for my Daughters University education, because :

1. Lectures are in English
2. Being from the EU I've no fees to pay
3. It's not very far away for a nice week-end for the wife and I to go and visit her
4. I want her to experience living and studying abroad in a safe country.

When I was a student donkeys years ago, I studied abroad as part of an Erasmus program, and also worked during summers in France and other countries.

But I am now a very protective parent, and since she is intent on "an adventure" - after her dad no less, I'm thinking of Denmark.

I do not want her to have to work while studying, so I'm wondering how much she would need per month for me to support her?

Would €1000 to €1,200 per month suffice to cover lodgement, food, going out drinking as all students do (I know I did), transport costs etc? I just want her to be able to rely on us to support her so she can concentrate on being a student.

Thanks in advance,
Conor.

Hi Conor,

I suggest that you look into Denmark's SU program, which offers a monthly stipend to Danish and other EU citizens while they study in Denmark.  The website with information for non-Danish EU citizens (in English) is here: http://www.su.dk/English/Sider/foreign.aspx

Denmark is an expensive city, so the monthly stipend may not cover all of her costs (I think it's just under 6000 DKK, which is just over 800 euros), but it would certainly help.  I can't speak to the cost of student housing or anything like that, but eating out and drinking in Denmark can be quite pricey.

hi

i have got a job in Copenhagen as Chef. my gross salary would be 31,250 DKK. is it good enough money to survive with my wife and one year old daughter?

Pls advice?

Hi
I have been offered a job in Copenhagen and my salary after tax is around 35K DKK. Is it enough to stay with Wife and 2 kids (6years and 2 years). Does it covers the schooling, basic medical, housing and other expenses.

let me know.

Regards,

Victor

For cost of living www.numbeo.com
For salary www.payscale.com

hii everybody.

this s sujit from hyderabad,planning to move denmark through green card scheme,i have completed my B.tech and MBA ,,,is there any job opportunites regaring this profile,,OR any part time jobs to do???

Can you give me yur mail id