Moving to Denmark from Switzerland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Switzerland to Denmark — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Switzerland to Denmark, you would find that Denmark is 31.3% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF59,770 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly DKK329,077 in Denmark to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Danish.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Switzerland to Denmark.
What does your salary buy?
CHF59,770 → DKK329,077
To maintain the same standard of living in Denmark
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 30.1% less
Groceries
pay 17.9% less
Transportation
pay 12.4% less
Housing
pay 35.2% less
Childcare
pay 76.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.0% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Denmark
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Switzerland to Denmark, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Switzerland to Denmark · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Switzerland and Denmark stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Denmark leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Denmark leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland performs better than Denmark across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Switzerland performs better than Denmark across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Switzerland performs better than Denmark across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Denmark generally does better on family life, though Switzerland leads in life expectancy.
Data: Swiss Federal Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bern | Copenhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 58°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 66°/53°F (19°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 46°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Copenhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Danish Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Denmark
Visa Free
Denmark passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa FreeData: 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 Switzerland?
Generally yes: Denmark runs about 32% cheaper than Switzerland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Denmark?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CHF59,770 comparable salary, that's around DKK82,269 in Denmark for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Denmark?
With 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Denmark can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Switzerland and Denmark.
Is Denmark safe for expats?
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Denmark leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Denmark is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Denmark compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Denmark leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Denmark, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Denmark scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Denmark compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Copenhagen is 52°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Copenhagen receives around 20.7 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Denmark?
The official language in Denmark is Danish. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
