Price of Copenhagen...how do they afford it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Scandinavian countries in particular make sure their citizens have a good quality of life. Yes, high taxes and less “stuff”, but major expenses we have here are covered by their government. Much better place to live than the US.

They are almost all white nation states. We are a massively diverse country.

It's true they are much less diverse than the US, and just less immigration overall so they have more cohesive, insular national culture, which makes it easier for people to accept the idea of paying higher taxes in order to ensure a higher quality of life across the board.

But there is a lot more immigration in these countries than their used to be. Sweden and Finland, for instance, have absorbed large numbers of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa in the last 10 years. Fewer immigrants settle in Denmark specifically because the cost of living is higher -- it is easier to find housing and afford cost of living in some of the other Scandinavian states than in Denmark, especially Copenhagen. Even many Danish people cannot afford to live in Copenhagen, and a decent number of people who work in the city commute via train from small towns throughout the "Copenhagen region" which is actually quite large.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

Because the rich are richer. This is realllllllly simple. We don’t have the subsidized system in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Scandinavian countries in particular make sure their citizens have a good quality of life. Yes, high taxes and less “stuff”, but major expenses we have here are covered by their government. Much better place to live than the US.

They are almost all white nation states. We are a massively diverse country.

It's true they are much less diverse than the US, and just less immigration overall so they have more cohesive, insular national culture, which makes it easier for people to accept the idea of paying higher taxes in order to ensure a higher quality of life across the board.

But there is a lot more immigration in these countries than their used to be. Sweden and Finland, for instance, have absorbed large numbers of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa in the last 10 years. Fewer immigrants settle in Denmark specifically because the cost of living is higher -- it is easier to find housing and afford cost of living in some of the other Scandinavian states than in Denmark, especially Copenhagen. Even many Danish people cannot afford to live in Copenhagen, and a decent number of people who work in the city commute via train from small towns throughout the "Copenhagen region" which is actually quite large.

I guess. It’s still trying to compare a largely homogeneous group with a unifying culture with a country much much much larger and about a million times more diverse in every possible way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a high quality urban lifestyle that lacks most of the excesses of American day to day life. Smaller houses, no cars, wasting far less food than us, much more reuse of items, smaller wardrobes, far fewer things like hair treatments and nail salons, and on and on. We consume so much more on a daily basis than the average Scandinavian. I say this as a city dweller in a tiny apartment with my family in the states and who still seems to live with so much "more" day to day than my Danish family members.

+1 It’s this, as well as government-subsidized childcare and healthcare. I also have family in Scandinavia. When they heard how much we pay for childcare, they nearly choked.

Sure but 2 white collar salaries in a Scandanavian country are almost = one in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

Maybe? Do you know not wealthy European families? They don’t appear better off to me. I will give them the fact they aren’t fat and are more attractive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Scandinavian countries in particular make sure their citizens have a good quality of life. Yes, high taxes and less “stuff”, but major expenses we have here are covered by their government. Much better place to live than the US.

They are almost all white nation states. We are a massively diverse country.

It's true they are much less diverse than the US, and just less immigration overall so they have more cohesive, insular national culture, which makes it easier for people to accept the idea of paying higher taxes in order to ensure a higher quality of life across the board.

But there is a lot more immigration in these countries than their used to be. Sweden and Finland, for instance, have absorbed large numbers of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa in the last 10 years. Fewer immigrants settle in Denmark specifically because the cost of living is higher -- it is easier to find housing and afford cost of living in some of the other Scandinavian states than in Denmark, especially Copenhagen. Even many Danish people cannot afford to live in Copenhagen, and a decent number of people who work in the city commute via train from small towns throughout the "Copenhagen region" which is actually quite large.

I guess. It’s still trying to compare a largely homogeneous group with a unifying culture with a country much much much larger and about a million times more diverse in every possible way.

It's religion.
Religious states have worse quality of life than humanist states.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/02/29/how-religious-is-your-state/?state=alabama

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/12/05/how-do-european-countries-differ-in-religious-commitment/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

Maybe? Do you know not wealthy European families? They don’t appear better off to me. I will give them the fact they aren’t fat and are more attractive.

That's the point, isn't it?
How do you determine "better off"?
Paying less for corn syrup and soybean oil to make you fat and sick?
Having a larger car that you can sit in for hours every day on the beltway?
Having a bigger house for "privacy" because your country only builds walls out of paper mache?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't find Copenhagen to be more expensive than the DC area. Hotels were cheaper or comparable to staying in a similar city in the US. Food was about the same as dining in DC, NY, LA or SF. We got the Copenhagen card while we were there, so transportation and sightseeing was really affordable.

A lot of the Danish people I know told me they go to Sweden to shop for clothes, gifts, and housewares. The exchange rate is really favorable and it's so cheap to travel there from Copenhagen. You can go to Malmo for the day for less than $20, and everything there is much cheaper -- food, clothes, books, records.

I have also know friends who stayed in Malmo instead of Copenhagen and then just took the train into Copenhagen for activities and museums. It's a way to visit Copenhagen much more cheaply, though I enjoy staying in the city at least a night or two.

Aren't they both on the Euro?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

Maybe? Do you know not wealthy European families? They don’t appear better off to me. I will give them the fact they aren’t fat and are more attractive.

That's the point, isn't it?
How do you determine "better off"?
Paying less for corn syrup and soybean oil to make you fat and sick?
Having a larger car that you can sit in for hours every day on the beltway?
Having a bigger house for "privacy" because your country only builds walls out of paper mache?

They work similar hours and can’t outsource

Have a crazy high amount of mortgage debt that requires both parents to work

Fewer clothes and household goods

More dependent on public transport and only one car that’s older and less safe

Limited choice for higher education as it’s free but access is decided by the government and is limited

More difficult daily life where it’s more challenging to hire help, stores are often closed and life is more inefficient (going to the grocery store every day for example instead of having a larger home and fridge - that’s a PIA)

Can’t hire babysitters as it’s not common due to less disposable income

Being expected to stay home for *years* after having a child because you’re a woman and expected to be excited about the minimum wage the government pays you become a second class citizen at work. But when your time is up expected to return to work with a vengeance to pay that high mortgage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

This is just leftist clap trap being spouted by those who want to control everyone’s lives. Give me a chance to make something out of my life over comfort and others in control every single day. This poster should move to Denmark and become a bureaucrat or academic bureaucrat and get out of the way here in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

Maybe? Do you know not wealthy European families? They don’t appear better off to me. I will give them the fact they aren’t fat and are more attractive.

That's the point, isn't it?
How do you determine "better off"?
Paying less for corn syrup and soybean oil to make you fat and sick?
Having a larger car that you can sit in for hours every day on the beltway?
Having a bigger house for "privacy" because your country only builds walls out of paper mache?

They work similar hours and can’t outsource

Have a crazy high amount of mortgage debt that requires both parents to work

Fewer clothes and household goods

More dependent on public transport and only one car that’s older and less safe

Limited choice for higher education as it’s free but access is decided by the government and is limited

More difficult daily life where it’s more challenging to hire help, stores are often closed and life is more inefficient (going to the grocery store every day for example instead of having a larger home and fridge - that’s a PIA)

Can’t hire babysitters as it’s not common due to less disposable income

Being expected to stay home for *years* after having a child because you’re a woman and expected to be excited about the minimum wage the government pays you become a second class citizen at work. But when your time is up expected to return to work with a vengeance to pay that high mortgage.

Its so fun to watch americans disguise their envy. No scandinavian has ever thought ”i really wish I could leave my baby in day care at 4 weeks instead of having my job and a reasonable salary paid for 12 months”

And to the poster asking about the Euro- no christ both DK and SWE have their own currency. DKs is based on USD so now maybe less reliable but this is why people in CPH shop in sweden. Swedish krone is tanking and Malmö is nowhere near as expensive as CPH- for that you gotta go to stockholm.

Scandis dont really need to save for much- we dont pay tuition at college, we get a pension, healthy care is free, the usa ”dream” is a fantastical tail of slave labor that you people pretend if your own wish. Scandis dont need to keep up the Joneses- they dont exist and nobody cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

Maybe? Do you know not wealthy European families? They don’t appear better off to me. I will give them the fact they aren’t fat and are more attractive.

That's the point, isn't it?
How do you determine "better off"?
Paying less for corn syrup and soybean oil to make you fat and sick?
Having a larger car that you can sit in for hours every day on the beltway?
Having a bigger house for "privacy" because your country only builds walls out of paper mache?

They work similar hours and can’t outsource

Have a crazy high amount of mortgage debt that requires both parents to work

Fewer clothes and household goods

More dependent on public transport and only one car that’s older and less safe

Limited choice for higher education as it’s free but access is decided by the government and is limited

More difficult daily life where it’s more challenging to hire help, stores are often closed and life is more inefficient (going to the grocery store every day for example instead of having a larger home and fridge - that’s a PIA)

Can’t hire babysitters as it’s not common due to less disposable income

Being expected to stay home for *years* after having a child because you’re a woman and expected to be excited about the minimum wage the government pays you become a second class citizen at work. But when your time is up expected to return to work with a vengeance to pay that high mortgage.

Its so fun to watch americans disguise their envy. No scandinavian has ever thought ”i really wish I could leave my baby in day care at 4 weeks instead of having my job and a reasonable salary paid for 12 months”

And to the poster asking about the Euro- no christ both DK and SWE have their own currency. DKs is based on USD so now maybe less reliable but this is why people in CPH shop in sweden. Swedish krone is tanking and Malmö is nowhere near as expensive as CPH- for that you gotta go to stockholm.

Scandis dont really need to save for much- we dont pay tuition at college, we get a pension, healthy care is free, the usa ”dream” is a fantastical tail of slave labor that you people pretend if your own wish. Scandis dont need to keep up the Joneses- they dont exist and nobody cares.

PP did not say this. It all went over your head.

I’m a working mom but because my husband earns American wages I could be a SAHM if I wanted to do so. Not a short period of time funded by the government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

Maybe? Do you know not wealthy European families? They don’t appear better off to me. I will give them the fact they aren’t fat and are more attractive.

That's the point, isn't it?
How do you determine "better off"?
Paying less for corn syrup and soybean oil to make you fat and sick?
Having a larger car that you can sit in for hours every day on the beltway?
Having a bigger house for "privacy" because your country only builds walls out of paper mache?

They work similar hours and can’t outsource

Have a crazy high amount of mortgage debt that requires both parents to work

Fewer clothes and household goods

More dependent on public transport and only one car that’s older and less safe

Limited choice for higher education as it’s free but access is decided by the government and is limited

More difficult daily life where it’s more challenging to hire help, stores are often closed and life is more inefficient (going to the grocery store every day for example instead of having a larger home and fridge - that’s a PIA)

Can’t hire babysitters as it’s not common due to less disposable income

Being expected to stay home for *years* after having a child because you’re a woman and expected to be excited about the minimum wage the government pays you become a second class citizen at work. But when your time is up expected to return to work with a vengeance to pay that high mortgage.

Its so fun to watch americans disguise their envy. No scandinavian has ever thought ”i really wish I could leave my baby in day care at 4 weeks instead of having my job and a reasonable salary paid for 12 months”

And to the poster asking about the Euro- no christ both DK and SWE have their own currency. DKs is based on USD so now maybe less reliable but this is why people in CPH shop in sweden. Swedish krone is tanking and Malmö is nowhere near as expensive as CPH- for that you gotta go to stockholm.

Scandis dont really need to save for much- we dont pay tuition at college, we get a pension, healthy care is free, the usa ”dream” is a fantastical tail of slave labor that you people pretend if your own wish. Scandis dont need to keep up the Joneses- they dont exist and nobody cares.

I’d argue that they can’t save because the system doesn’t really support building personal wealth. First, most people in scandanavian countries have very high amounts of personal debt. So even if they needed to save, not sure how they’d do so. The system is designed so that everyone pretty much does the same thing. You pay into the system and don’t get rich and can’t retire early. The government is providing everything so you’re bound by the rules and whatever restrictions are in place. Sure college is free but you can’t just go to wherever you’re admitted. You lever up, both parents work and you take the max leave. It’s a nice life but you’re not accumulating wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US is a great place to be rich, and a terrible place to be poor.
Europe is a great place to be poor, and a terrible place to be rich.

The poorest US state (Mississippi) is about to surpass the richest EU country (Germany) in GDP per capita. All other US states are ahead of every European country. Just Mississippi needs to catch up!

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/03/the-poorest-us-state-rivals-germany-gdp-per-capita-in-the-us-and-europe

Then why is wealth inequality and standard of living for most Americans so low while Denmark, Sweden etc have barely any poverty or wealthy inequality

PP explained it.

Because the US sucks up the production of workers and gives it to the wealthy.

In Europe, GDP benefits everyone. In USA, GDP primarily benefits billionaires.

"A great place to be rich" is not a great place.

Maybe? Do you know not wealthy European families? They don’t appear better off to me. I will give them the fact they aren’t fat and are more attractive.

That's the point, isn't it?
How do you determine "better off"?
Paying less for corn syrup and soybean oil to make you fat and sick?
Having a larger car that you can sit in for hours every day on the beltway?
Having a bigger house for "privacy" because your country only builds walls out of paper mache?

They work similar hours and can’t outsource

Have a crazy high amount of mortgage debt that requires both parents to work

Fewer clothes and household goods

More dependent on public transport and only one car that’s older and less safe

Limited choice for higher education as it’s free but access is decided by the government and is limited

More difficult daily life where it’s more challenging to hire help, stores are often closed and life is more inefficient (going to the grocery store every day for example instead of having a larger home and fridge - that’s a PIA)

Can’t hire babysitters as it’s not common due to less disposable income

Being expected to stay home for *years* after having a child because you’re a woman and expected to be excited about the minimum wage the government pays you become a second class citizen at work. But when your time is up expected to return to work with a vengeance to pay that high mortgage.

Its so fun to watch americans disguise their envy. No scandinavian has ever thought ”i really wish I could leave my baby in day care at 4 weeks instead of having my job and a reasonable salary paid for 12 months”

And to the poster asking about the Euro- no christ both DK and SWE have their own currency. DKs is based on USD so now maybe less reliable but this is why people in CPH shop in sweden. Swedish krone is tanking and Malmö is nowhere near as expensive as CPH- for that you gotta go to stockholm.

Scandis dont really need to save for much- we dont pay tuition at college, we get a pension, healthy care is free, the usa ”dream” is a fantastical tail of slave labor that you people pretend if your own wish. Scandis dont need to keep up the Joneses- they dont exist and nobody cares.

Then why such high amounts of personal debt? The highest personal debt in the world is Denmark followed closely by Norway and Sweden.

I don’t really buy the not keeping up with the Joneses. Everyone I know there seems to spend and do as much as they can - just like here. Except everything is more expensive and they earn less money.

https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/home-loans/features/countries-with-the-highest-and-lowest-household-debt-2023/