Cost of Living in Denmark in 2025 (Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, etc.)

Denmark is one of the European countries with the highest salaries, but also with the highest costs of living. And we’ll talk about the latter today.

My article covers living costs in all the main cities in Denmark – from Copenhagen to Aarhus, Odense, and the smaller ones. Keep in mind that bigger cities usually mean bigger bills, especially when it comes to rent.

So let’s begin analyzing the average monthly cost of living in this country in 2025!

A single person living in Denmark should expect monthly living costs of around €2,625 or 19,600 DKK. This should cover decent housing, moderate dining out, some fun activities, and maybe a yearly vacation.

For a family of three, you might need around €4,900 per month. Families benefit from free education and shared housing costs, which keeps overall expenses per person lower than living alone.

Of course, these numbers vary based on your lifestyle. If you go out often and shop frequently, your monthly outflow will increase substantially. On the other hand, cooking at home and cutting back on luxuries will reduce expenses.

Based on my own experience and research, I would say that the estimated monthly expenses above are valid for an average person who’s not very strict about budgeting, but not too permissive either.

Now let’s break this down a bit more and see how you will spend your money each month. To make things easier to follow, from now on I will convert the local currency in Denmark (Krone) into Euros.

Rental Prices in Denmark in 2025

Since buying property in Denmark is very expensive, you will most likely rent your place, like most Danes.

Rental costs have gone up a lot in recent years – so here’s what I expect you’ll spend:

• €1,500/month for a one-bedroom apartment.
• €2,625/month for a two-bedroom apartment.

These costs are a bit higher than in nearby Norway. You can also read about the cost of living in Iceland if you’re interested in island living.

Prices for buying real estate can reach around €7,000 per m² in the most central areas of big cities or business centers. This means that a regular 80 square meters (860 sq foot) apartment will cost around €560,000. Ouch!

Rental Deposits & Lease Details:

Expect to pay a couple of months’ deposit plus one month’s rent upfront. It’s common for landlords to ask for 1-3 months’ deposit, so be ready for a higher initial payment. Lease lengths vary, but one-year minimum contracts are typical.

Utilities

Utilities usually include electricity, gas, water, trash collection, cable TV, and Internet. Based on apartment size, here’s what you might pay:

• €170/month for a one-bedroom.
• €250/month for a two-bedroom.

Fortunately, as you can see from the numbers presented above, they are not that high, compared to rental costs.

Now, of course, these can vary again slightly, depending on the provider you choose, how much you consume each month, etc.

Also, some of these expenses (heating costs, usually) might be included in the rent already. They are usually not, but make sure to discuss this with your landlord before signing the contract to be able to better estimate your monthly expenses.

Phone Plans and Internet

While these are included in my estimates above, since internet and phone plans are so important nowadays, I want to have a quick note about their pricing.

Expect to pay between €15 and €30 per month for mobile plans with calls and data

In most cases, you can find package deals that combine mobile and home internet. Internet alone is typically around €35 per month.

Food & Restaurants Prices in Denmark in 2025

If you cook at home and enjoy just a few restaurant meals per month, €550 should cover your grocery and dining expenses. A family of three with similar eating patterns may spend around €900 monthly.

Prices of food (in stores) have gone up a lot due to inflation – and they weren’t low to start with. You may still keep these costs relatively low by opting for supermarket brands instead of brand names.

Below are a few everyday prices so that you can better estimate your budget:

• €1.90 for a loaf of bread
• €1.60 for a 1l-bottle of milk
• €7.00 for a kg of tomatoes
• €2.00 for a kg of potatoes
• €1.50 for a kg of onions
• €3.00 for a kg of bananas
• €16.50 for a kg of chicken breasts
• €30.50 for a kg of beef/steak
• €5.50 for one coffee (Café Latte or Cappuccino)
• €18.50 for one pizza
• €5.00 for a basic cheeseburger
• €12.00 for a fast-food meal such as a Burger King or McDonald’s Combo
• €20 for one meal at a cheap restaurant
• €80 for one meal at a higher-end restaurant

If these prices are starting to look scary, you might want to check out my list of countries where you can still live on $750 per month.

Transportation Costs in Denmark

Here’s a list with the most popular means of transport in the country and the average costs you should expect:

• €4.00 for one ride on public transport
• €95.00 for one monthly public transport ticket
• €3.00 per km on taxi or other similar means of transport
• €2.00 for one liter of gasoline

Many of Denmark’s cities are walkable, with many Danish people choosing to ride a bike to work. This not only keeps you healthy, but also keeps the costs low.

So in theory, you could spend as little as €90.00 per month when it comes to transportation expenses – but you can keep them even lower if you mostly walk or ride the bike.

Childcare and Education

Public education is free in Denmark, which is a big cost-saver if you have school-age children. However, preschool or daycare for younger kids may involve fees. Rates vary by municipality but plan to spend around 300 Euros per month if your child isn’t yet in the free school system.

Private schools do exist, with prices around €15,000 per year and above. However, the country’s public system is regarded as one of the best in the world and normally should be enough for most families (and also covered by taxes).

Other costs in Denmark

Last but not least, other expenses that you will have to account for – but which don’t really fit any other category.

These miscellaneous costs can vary a lot – including unexpected expenses – but I will cover a few below to get an idea of what to expect.

• €15.50 for one cinema ticket per adult
• €45.00 for monthly gym subscription

Sample Monthly Budget

Here’s a rough breakdown for a single person, based on my own estimates above, which should fit a decent lifestyle in most cities here.

• Rent (one-bedroom): €1,500
• Utilities: €170
• Food (groceries + a few meals out): €550
• Transport (public/bike mix): €90
• Gym: €45
• Misc. (entertainment, personal items): €270

Total: €2,625

Conclusion

In short, the cost of living in Denmark can seem high at first glance. Yet salaries, free education, and public healthcare balance much of the financial load. If you handle your budget wisely – like cooking at home more often, biking, and shopping for discounts – you can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle here.

Couples or families will always pay less on a per-person basis, so if you aren’t there yet, consider meeting an amazing Danish woman (or an equally amazing Danish man) – not just for keeping the costs down, but to enjoy life better.

All in all, we can say that the cost of living in Denmark is pretty similar to the cost of living in Sweden, proving that living in Scandinavia is a good choice if you can handle the weather. Just take a look at the average salaries in the EU and you will see what I mean.

If you want to share your opinions about the cost of living here, I would love to read your thoughts. The more people share their living costs, the easier it is for us all to get a clearer picture on how things really are.