Moving to Denmark from South Korea

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from South Korea to Denmark, you would find that Denmark is 48.1% more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩99,000,000 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly DKK739,000 in Denmark to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Danish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Copenhagen averages 52°F vs 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Denmark cheaper than South Korea?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.7 times more

Groceries

pay 18.4% less

Transportation

pay 86.5% more

Housing

pay 83.2% more

Childcare

pay 42.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 55.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KRW = 0.005 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?

₩99,000,000 → DKK739,000

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 46% more than cities in South Korea.

South Korea

Seoul ★ 50%
Daejeon 45%
Incheon 44%
Suwon 43%

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 South Korea to Denmark.

Moved in 2023
273 ↑ 11% vs 2022

people moved from South Korea 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 South Korea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

KR
0.5
DK
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KR
6.9
DK
2.3

South Korea generally does better on safety, though Denmark leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KR
$5,081
DK
$7,262
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KR
26.1
DK
45.0

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Denmark leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KR
19.0
DK
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KR
11.4t
DK
4.3t

Denmark performs significantly better than South Korea across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KR
47.8
DK
43.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KR
85.2%
DK
25.3%

South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Denmark leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KR
2.7%
DK
5.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

KR
$36,227
DK
$76,970

South Korea 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

KR
83.6 yrs
DK
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KR
2.3
DK
3.5

South Korea 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), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016), Danish Central Tax Administration (2017), The World Factbook (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Denmark vs South Korea

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Seoul Rain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Seoul Copenhagen
Jan–Mar 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) 58°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) 66°/53°F (19°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) 46°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Seoul Copenhagen
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C)
Feb 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C)
Mar 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C)
May 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C)
Jun 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C)
Jul 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C)
Aug 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C)
Sep 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C)
Oct 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C)
Nov 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C)
Dec 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C)

Data: Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration, Danish Meteorological Institute Danish Meteorological Institute

Can you move from South Korea to Denmark?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.

South Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting Denmark

Visa Free
South Korea passport holders can enter Denmark without a visa.
Denmark passport

Denmark passport holder visiting South Korea

Visa Free
Denmark passport holders can enter South Korea without a visa.

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 South Korea?

On average Denmark is around 48% pricier than South Korea, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Denmark?

Budget about DKK184,750 for 3 months in Denmark (based on a ₩99,000,000 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?

South Korea generally does better on safety, though Denmark leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Denmark is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.

How is healthcare in Denmark compared to South Korea?

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Denmark leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Denmark, compared to 26.1 in South Korea. Denmark scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).

What's the weather like in Denmark compared to South Korea?

The average high temperature in Copenhagen is 52°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Copenhagen receives around 20.7 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.

What language do they speak in Denmark?

The official language in Denmark is Danish. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.

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At a Glance

KR DK
Population 51,684,564 6,009,169
Currency South Korean Won (₩) Danish Krone (DKK)
Languages Korean Danish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +82 +45
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 112 112