Moving to Denmark from Australia

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Australia to Denmark? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Australia to Denmark, you would find that Denmark is 1.5% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly DKK501,000 in Denmark to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Danish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Copenhagen averages 52°F vs 72°F in Sydney, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Denmark cheaper than Australia?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 24.0% more

Groceries

pay 7.2% more

Transportation

pay 48.9% more

Housing

pay 16.1% less

Childcare

pay 68.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 AUD = 4.62 DKK (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Denmark?

What does your salary buy?

A$110,000 → DKK501,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Denmark

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Denmark cost about 12% more than cities in Australia.

Australia

Sydney 69%
Perth 64%
Melbourne 62%
Adelaide 60%

Denmark

Herning 69%
Vejle 65%
Svendborg 62%
Esbjerg 61%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Denmark.

Moved in 2023
674 ↑ 45% vs 2022

people moved from Australia to Denmark · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Denmark?

Top countries of origin for Denmark's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Denmark compared to Australia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

AU
0.8
DK
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AU
4.5
DK
2.3

Denmark performs significantly better than Australia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AU
$7,691
DK
$7,262
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AU
40.9
DK
45.0

Denmark generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AU
10.0
DK
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AU
14.1t
DK
4.3t

Australia generally does better on environment, though Denmark leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AU
36.5
DK
43.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AU
4.7%
DK
25.3%

Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Denmark leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AU
4.1%
DK
5.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

AU
$65,130
DK
$76,970

Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Denmark leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

AU
83.0 yrs
DK
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AU
3.1
DK
3.5

Australia generally does better on family life, though Denmark leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Danish Central Tax Administration (2017), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Weather in Denmark vs Australia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Sydney Rain: 48.1 in/yr (1223 mm)
72° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Copenhagen Rain: 20.7 in/yr (525 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sydney Copenhagen
Jan–Mar 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) 58°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 66°/53°F (19°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) 46°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Sydney Copenhagen
Jan 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C)
Feb 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C)
Mar 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C)
Apr 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C)
May 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C)
Jul 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C)
Aug 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C)
Sep 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C)
Nov 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C)
Dec 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology, Danish Meteorological Institute Danish Meteorological Institute

Can you move from Australia to Denmark?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Denmark. To live, work, or study long-term in Denmark, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Denmark's immigration authority.

Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Denmark

Visa Free
Australia passport holders can enter Denmark without a visa.
Denmark passport

Denmark passport holder visiting Australia

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Denmark passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Australia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Denmark than Australia?

Denmark and Australia are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Denmark?

Budget about DKK125,250 for 3 months in Denmark (based on a A$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Denmark?

Connectivity is usually fine (Denmark: 43.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Denmark offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Denmark safe for expats?

Denmark performs significantly better than Australia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Denmark is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.

How is healthcare in Denmark compared to Australia?

Denmark generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in health coverage index. There are 45.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Denmark, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Denmark scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).

What's the weather like in Denmark compared to Australia?

The average high temperature in Copenhagen is 52°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Copenhagen receives around 20.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.

What language do they speak in Denmark?

The official language in Denmark is Danish. In Australia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AU DK
Population 27,614,411 6,009,169
Currency Australian Dollar (A$) Danish Krone (DKK)
Languages English Danish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +61 +45
Time zones 8 5
Emergency number 000 112