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.

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.

Extremely high taxes.

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.

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

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

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.

and education. the government encourages going to school

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.

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.

Anonymous wrote:Free school, childcare, Healthcare
Tiny homes

Do teachers and doctors work for free in Denmark? Who knew?

Free school, childcare, Healthcare
Tiny homes

It's not that different compared to Northern VA. Do you live in Arkansas or something? We vacation in Denmark quite frequently (with children).

Look at the size of their homes, their furniture choices, their kitchens. Look at their cars (or lack of cars). You have your answer.

It costs a lot of money to have a gourmet kitchen, a 3k foot house, two new cars, landscaping, travel soccer fees, competitive dance fees, and flights to Europe and the Caribbean. It costs less money to have a 1k foot apartment or row home, two bikes, no yard, and a tiny induction stove.

Health care is “free”, so there’s that.

Just came back and was perplexed by prices. Was warned but still...its Europe, who don't have the typically high salaries of US.

Take for instance London and Paris which are very expensive but also low salaries. Is Copenhagen like that too for residents? Seems to be a perfect way of life there.