Cost #28/31 · Cost of living · Europe · Eurostat PLI 2024
🇩🇰 Cost of living in Denmark
Denmark runs pricier than most of the EU-27 across rent, groceries and transport - see where the gap is widest and how far local income actually stretches.
- Cost rank · cheapest = #1 of 31
- #28
- Affordability rank · highest purchasing power = #1 of 29
- #8
Denmark's livability score
Livability score
31/100
Denmark, weighted across 8 of 8 tracked dimensions
A cost-and-income composite (price-level indices plus purchasing power), not an overall quality-of-life judgment, it does not weigh climate, safety, culture, or healthcare outcomes.
- Purchasing power B+ €36,192
Median net income adjusted for local cost level
- Overall cost F 143
Eurostat overall price level (EU27=100)
- Rent F 186
Housing / rent price level (EU27=100)
- Groceries F 120
Food and non-alcoholic beverages (EU27=100)
- Healthcare F 142
Healthcare price level (EU27=100)
- Transport F 125
Transport price level (EU27=100)
- Utilities F 115
Electricity / gas / water (EU27=100)
- Restaurants F 148
Restaurants and hotels (EU27=100)
Denmark: large 2024 Eurostat move
Overall cost index moved -1.5 vs the 2023 archive - among the larger European shifts this release.
- Utilities index 120 115 2023 → 2024
Utilities index fell from 120 to 115 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Restaurants index 152 148 2023 → 2024
Restaurants index fell from 152 to 148 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Housing & utilities index 189 186 2023 → 2024
Housing & utilities index fell from 189 to 186 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Groceries index 123 120 2023 → 2024
Groceries index fell from 123 to 120 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Overall cost index 144 143 2023 → 2024
Overall cost index fell from 144 to 143 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
Denmark in the 120+ cost band
On the EU-27 = 100 scale, Denmark's overall index (143) sits in the 120+ band with 9 other published countries. The Europe-wide band mix lives on the rankings hub, not repeated here.
Where Denmark's high price level concentrates
Bars + gauge for an above-EU overall index (143): which categories drive the premium, not a restated Europe lecture.
Denmark - price level by category (EU-27 = 100)
🇩🇰 Denmark vs EU-27 = 100
Gauge reads the same overall cost_index (143); the tick marks the EU average.
In Denmark, housing & utilities is the most expensive category and utilities the least.
Why Denmark reads expensive on Eurostat
Denmark's overall consumer price level is 43% above the EU-27 average. (How this index is built →)
Housing and utilities lead the way in Denmark, the priciest category at index 186, ahead of utilities at index 115. Because housing and household energy are typically the largest lines in a household budget, that pulls overall affordability down more than an equally high index in a smaller category would.
That price gap bites hard into real purchasing power here: Denmark's prices run well above the EU average, so the headline income of €36,192 is worth only about €25,345 once translated into EU-27-average terms - a steep discount.
Cities in Denmark
National averages hide the big-city premium. See real monthly rent, groceries and transit costs for Denmark's cities.
Eurostat PLI Basket · similar price levels and purchasing power
Two peer sets for Denmark: nearest overall price-level indices (EU-27 = 100) and nearest cost-adjusted incomes (median net income ÷ cost index). The cost band block above stays cohort-based; these neighborhoods vary by entity.
Similar overall cost index
Nearest countries by Eurostat price level (143 here, EU-27 = 100).
PLI neighbourhood · Denmark
Similar purchasing power
Nearest countries by cost-adjusted income (€25,345 here).
What to do with this Denmark data
Denmark ranks #8 of 29 for cost-adjusted purchasing power. A raw price index alone does not tell you whether income stretches further here than elsewhere.
- Run the numbers for Denmark in the calculator
- Compare Denmark vs Ireland side by side
- See the full best-value ranking
- Browse every country we track
These are Eurostat comparative price-level averages for the whole country, not a personal budget. Regional and city-level costs can differ substantially from the national figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Denmark expensive to live in?
Denmark's overall cost of living is 43% above the EU-27 average (index 143). Housing & utilities is the priciest category and utilities the cheapest.
What are housing & utilities costs in Denmark?
Denmark's housing & utilities price index is 186, above the EU norm.
How does income compare to costs in Denmark?
That price gap bites hard into real purchasing power here: Denmark's prices run well above the EU average, so the headline income of €36,192 is worth only about €25,345 once translated into EU-27-average terms - a steep discount.
PlainCostOfLiving is rendered directly from Eurostat comparative price levels and median equivalised net income, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-20. Primary sources: Eurostat comparative price levels (prc_ppp_ind) and Eurostat median equivalised net income (ilc_di03).