The Weather Sucks and Taxes are High: Why You Should Live in Denmark Anyway

“I’m never moving to Denmark,” I told my then Danish girlfriend after meeting her at film school in Los Angeles. “I like the sun. So please never ask.”

“That’s fine,” she said simply. “I like it too.”

We’re now married with two kids—and have been living in Copenhagen for twenty years! Nobody is more surprised than I am to still be here. But what began as a two-year adventure to make a film turned into a much fuller life—better than the one I lived in the U.S.

Before I get to that, let’s get the weather out of the way: It mostly sucks. Think Seattle with the rain, except much colder, windier, and flatter… as in, not-a-single-mountain-in-the-country flat. Winters can—and do—last up to seven months. They come with temps hovering around freezing and a rather special brand of Nordic wind that can make the act of going outside to take out the trash a kind of masochistic punishment.

But Copenhagen has a lovely out: it’s a major EU hub, well-connected via flight or rail to the rest of Europe. So when winter bites too deeply into bone and spirit, I can head south like other Danish retirees or remote workers do. The Eternal City, Rome, is only 2 ½ hours away from me.

The Secret to Happiness Is… More Taxes?

While I’m being honest about life here, I’ll confess that Denmark has some of the highest taxes in the world—an average of 55% of personal income. (For comparison, California’s average is about 33%.)

When I first arrived—via a work visa provided by a Danish production company—I made an American-tinged complaint about the amount of taxes I was paying. A Danish colleague just looked at me.

“In Denmark, we pay our taxes, Michael,” he scolded. “And we get them back in social benefits.”

I learned quickly that Denmark isn’t a “tax haven” kind of country, where the rich pay low taxes or find loopholes to avoid paying up. People here expect to pay their fair share of taxes in order to contribute to society—and they’re actually proud of paying them. In my two decades here, I’ve never met a Dane who minds paying taxes, because they know it’s necessary to keep the country healthy as a “cradle-to-grave” society.

In Denmark, there’s a safety net to catch everyone. And “we” are proud of that.

Denmark vs. America: Hygge, Not Guns

I don’t have to have conversations in Denmark like the one I had with my then 11-year-old son when we visited family in the U.S.: “Daddy! Look at all those guns!” he exclaimed when we walked into a sporting goods store to buy his first baseball glove. “They even have a pink one! Can anyone just come in and buy whatever they want?”

“If you’re old enough, yeah,” I said. We stood quietly together staring at a wall filled with racks of guns, including semi-automatic weapons that looked bigger than he was. They were just across the aisle from baseball gloves, water floaties, and American footballs.

Guns and violent crime are extremely rare in Denmark.

“I’ve put three kids through high school here,” says Tom Anderson, an American restaurant manager in Copenhagen’s thriving food scene. “In the twenty five years I’ve lived in Denmark, I can honestly say that I’ve never worried about their safety for a single day. I’m sorry to say it, but Denmark is a much better place to raise kids and grandkids than America. Violence isn’t something we have to deal with here, it isn’t on the radar like in the U.S.”

“Hygge” means “cozy,” literally, and is on the radar here in the best sense of the word. Hygge is both a Nordic mindset and a part of the Danish soul—and one of my favorite things about living here. Hygge comes in many forms: It can revolve around an elaborate sit-down multicourse meal with family, friends, or work colleagues; it can come in the shape of a shared cup of coffee or tea paired with a sweet at a café, or inside one’s home; it can be a weekend escape to a summerhouse in the country; it can involve drink-ing lightly—or hardcore like a Viking. The main thing is sharing the hangover together!

“Having hygge together is taken very seriously here,” says Anderson. “The coffee and food scene is a big part of that. Danes had to learn how to bring the sun into their interiors rather than expecting sunshine outside. I think that’s why Danish lighting and interior design are so special.”

Put simply, hygge defines a happy life as a fulfilling and flourishing one, where leisure and time-off is a priority for living The Good Life. It’s a concept that helps balance our busy work-lives. Contacting an employee during off hours is considered a bit rude here, so not answering work emails, texts, or phone calls after work is generally accepted. It’s not like American corporate culture and the much longer work days where one always feels like they need to be “on.” Weekends and evenings after 5pm are nearly sacred, as that’s when we flip the off switch into hygge time… plus managers like their hygge time as well.

A High-Trust Culture

There is something very strange going on in Denmark: Danes trust their government and each other. Trust is the building block of Danish society. It creates a safe, stable democracy that believes fully and totally in equal rights and protection for all its residents. The country is consistently top-ranked for gender equality and is a safe place for same-sex couples. Everyone has a guaranteed right to choose their own lifestyle here in “the pursuit of happiness” as long as it’s not hurting someone else.

This core belief carries over to our schools, which are free, safe, and overall, good. It’s also how we raise our children. It’s not uncommon to see babies napping in unattended strollers outside cafes and restaurants while their parents eat inside. I was horrified when my wife suggested we try this with our first-born: “Relax,” she said. “I’ll put a baby monitor in with him so we can hear if anybody tries to kidnap him.” She gave me a look. “Try to remember this is not America.”

Living the Good Life: Old Town Architecture, Biking, The Food Scene

Denmark makes up for its weather with hygge—and in the charm of its classic buildings, cobblestone squares, and many harbors and canals.

Copenhagen is my home and the capital of Denmark with 1.4 million inhabitants. Its buildings are a blend of Baroque, Renaissance, and Neoclassical European styles that remind me daily how lucky I am to actually live in Old Europe.

A few of my favorite buildings include: Amalienborg Palace, the official residences of the Royal Danish family. Built in 1790, it’s actually a set of four mini-palaces; Christiansborg Palace, the seat of Denmark’s parliament, dating back to 1167 and with buildings and showgrounds combining Neo-baroque, Baroque, and Neoclassical architecture; Rosenborg Castle, a 1624 Dutch Renaissance fortress located inside the lovely Kongens Have (The King’s Garden). The castle is surrounded by a moat and armed soldiers, as it protects the Crown Jewels.

Exploring Copenhagen’s wonders is truly unique as, in my experience, it’s the easiest capital in Europe to get around, either on foot or on bike. The city is about the size of Brooklyn, and comes with dedicated bike lanes everywhere. On two wheels, I can get about anywhere in the city within twenty minutes.

The biker and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure has allowed my wife and I to go completely green with our transportation needs. We haven’t owned a car for years… which has saved us an enormous amount of money.

The Old Town

Copenhagen’s Old Town is where I live. It’s a particularly beautiful Danish neighborhood and a must-see for visitors.

Most of the buildings are cut from stone made anywhere between the 17th and 19th centuries, and the roofs are no higher than five or six stories tall. Cobblestone passageways and squares like Kongens Nytorv (The King’s New Square), connected to iconic New Harbor, are ubiquitous and lined with wrought iron benches, giving Copenhagen a real Hans Christian Andersen vibe.

In fact, you’ll find homages to Hans Christian Andersen—a former Copenhagen resident—scattered throughout the neighborhood. Much of Old Town borders the Baltic Sea Boardwalks, which run for a couple miles or so along Inner Copenhagen Harbor. Here, you’ll find a statue of Andersen’s Little Mermaid lounging in the water at one end and the glistening Black Diamond Library toward the other.

One can walk, bike, or fish along the harbor—or even swim in it as it’s so clean. On more than one occasion, I’ve seen businessmen strip off their suits and ties and jump in naked for a refreshing summer dip. In the winter, “Polar Bear Groups” also jump in the sea— a habit that must be the result of Viking blood… which I do not have.

Nyhavn (New Harbor) is just a few blocks from my home. Here you’ll find pastel buildings chock-full of restaurants, cafes, and pubs looking directly over the harbor and its tall sailing ships. On a sunny day—or even a rainy one—Nyhavn is a great place to just be.

Here Danes and tourists hang their feet over the harbor while drinking a beer, share fried fish and pickled herring, and people-watch from cozy restaurants with floor-to-ceiling windows.

A couple of my favorite spots for this are Cap Horn, or for something more laidback and populated by expats, McJoy’s Pub.

The Food Scene in Copenhagen has transformed dramatically over the years, helped along by Danish “food stars” like Noma and Geranium, which put Denmark on the world map as a food destination. Fifteen Copenhagen restaurants were awarded Michelin stars last year.

But the city teems with eclectic options for any food lover. Whether it’s Nordic seafood, dim sum, French bistro, or vegetarian—odds are, you’ll find your favorite in the city.

One warning: even the non-Michelin restaurants won’t be cheap. Danish meals generally cost about thirty percent more than their southern European counterparts. But there’s a silver lining: tipping is included in the bill.

A typical night out for my wife and me will cost us around $200, including a bottle of wine. Lunch is a better deal, especially for trying out the famous Danish open-faced sandwiches known as “smørrebrød,” literally “buttered bread.” Try Schønnemans, a favorite of the locals—but book in advance!

Cost of Living, Salaries, Health Care, Social Benefits, Housing

The cost of living is roughly equivalent to a medium-sized American city like Seattle. When it comes to groceries, Denmark ranks as one of the most expensive in the EU. For my family of four, we typically spend around $1500 a month on food and non-alcoholic beverages. (That’s including two grocery delivery services—so our bill could easily be less.)

But salaries in Denmark are much higher than you’ll find in southern Europe—in fact, they’re some of the highest in the world. (On average, a Dane brings in around $79,000 a year.) And even with those high salaries, Danes have one of the shortest work weeks in the world at 37.5 hours, with most workers getting six weeks of paid vacation. The work-to-life balance is amazing here, especially in comparison to the U.S. Danes have much more time off.

Healthcare is also completely free for all residents (paid for by those high taxes). I still look back in amazement on the first day I arrived in Denmark, when the name of a general practitioner (GP) came with my new residency card. I remember saying to my wife, “Wow, I got my own doctor mailed to me as soon as I stepped foot into your country!”

Generally speaking, the healthcare system is good from my experience, especially in Copenhagen. But the provinces can have issues similar to rural areas in the U.S. as hospitals, doctors, and nurses are city-centric, so care and wait times can be sub-standard outside urban corridors. There can also be irritating wait times in Copenhagen, depending on what kind of treatment or doctor you need. (Private insurance is an option, but I’ve never purchased it.)

What I’ve found to be key to using the Danish system is a GP that you trust, as all specialists—surgeons, cardiologists, or otherwise—need a referral first from a GP. If you don’t have a good GP, the system can work against you, as Danish doctors are generally stingy with giving out antibiotics or referrals unless the issue is “acute.”

I switched GPs—which anyone can do for a small fee around $30—several times before finding Dr. Niels. He is as good or better than any I had back in the States. Whenever I need to see a specialist here, it’s no problem; he refers me to one, like when I needed knee surgery. That surgery was free and came without haggling over costs and payments with insurance companies.

Other social benefits that make life rich and less stressful in Denmark: a year’s paid maternity leave; low cost or heavily subsidized childcare, depending on a family’s income—including nursery, preschool and kindergarten… and free university. Of course, there are many more universities to choose from in the U.S., so there’s more variation and chances for admission. But for the size of the Danish population, just under 6 million, most students who have the grades can find a place for higher education.

“My oldest daughter just got accepted into a top Danish university MFA program,” Anderson told me. “In the U.S., her degree would cost my wife and I a fortune, over $100,000 for our first child alone. Crazy student loans aren’t something we have to worry about. Her education’s already paid for.”

Housing costs vary widely in Copenhagen, and can be expensive, depending on the neighborhood, apartment size, proximity to water and such. But renting a place is doable, and typically cheaper than other larger cosmopolitan European cities like, say, London, Paris, or Rome, and certainly American cities like New York, L.A., or San Francisco.

For example, a 312 sq. foot studio apartment near the University of Copenhagen, and easy biking distance to the hip bohemian waterfront neighborhood of Island’s Brygge (Iceland’s Quay), can (at the time of writing) be had for $1285 a month.

Or a two-bedroom 1076 sq. foot flat in Copenhagen’s affluent Østerport (Eastern Gate) neighborhood goes for around $2,600.

Another option is a one-bedroom 1000 sq. foot flat available for about $2,300 a month in the ‘stand-alone’ neighborhood of Nordhavn (Northern Harbor), a cool little community sitting atop islands in the harbor—but only minutes away from the city center by bike or subway.

A Global Expat Community and Excellent English

Copenhagen has a large and vibrant expat community with members hailing from all around the world—including the U.S. and U.K. Most of my closest friends are mixed-marriage couples like my wife and me, typically an American or Brit and a Dane.

There are also clubs and organizations for Americans. Groups like Americans in Copenhagen, The American Women’s Club (which is also open to men), Democrats Abroad, and others cater to the American community. There’s even a well-regarded college in Copenhagen called the Danish Institute for Study Abroad. It’s geared toward American students who wish to spend a semester, summer, or year abroad.

Plus, Denmark beats all southern European countries at communicating clearly in English.

In my experience, it’s not common for southern Europeans to speak fluent English. For me, that’s part of the fun. But if you’re not proficient at languages, or don’t have interest in spending the time needed to learn a foreign tongue, Denmark, and in particular Copenhagen, is a place where you can live without knowing a lick of Dansk.

You’ll be better off if you learn of course—you’ll miss out on dinner conversations and holiday celebrations that migrate from English to Danish. And it can also help in the countryside. But I know a number of foreigners living happily here who don’t understand Danish at all.

How to Get Into Denmark—Even When You’re Not Wanted!

On the flipside is Denmark’s biggest catch: although the Danes will love you as a tourist, they also expect you to leave. Spend all your money here, spread the word about “hygge living” and the beautiful walkabout city of Copenhagen… and then get yourself on back home!

It’s difficult to immigrate here if you don’t have an EU passport. (Denmark must allow freedom of movement for EU citizens, so if you have a 2nd passport from a European country, it’s easier.)

For Americans, here are the ways one can get into the country:

1. Come as a tourist for up to 90 days. No visa is required for this kind of visit. It’s a good way to check out the culture and people to see if it may be a place for you.

2. Come as a student. Americans can apply to a Danish university program for up to a year, and are eligible to re-apply for an extended stay later. (But there’s no guarantee on the extension).

3. Come on a work visa. Work visas are a great way to become a permanent resident over time. I came in on a multi-year work visa for a Danish company, as many of my expat friends have done. We became permanent residents either through marriage to a Dane, or after living here for four years while being full-time employed and paying taxes. (One also has to pass a language test; again, it’s easier for EU citizens to become permanent residents—not a guarantee for Americans.) Denmark has many global, international companies like Maersk or Novo Nordisk. (Here’s a Danish website that can help you apply for jobs.) After nine years of residency in Denmark, an American is eligible to apply for dual citizenship as a Dane.

4. Come if you’re wealthy. If you’re one of those lucky “one percenters”—and can prove it—Denmark will likely be open to you. But it also means having a Danish bank account and paying Danish taxes.