Living in Copenhagen for Expats

Copenhagen is largely characterized by its diversity, social equality, richness in culture, and outstanding life quality. The city is becoming widely popular among internationals as the metropolis has gained a reputation for being one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan cities in Northern Europe. Copenhagen has much to offer, from delicious dishes to admirable art scenes. 

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► What to expect

The city has so much to offer culturally, historically, technologically, and more. Here are the main highlights of what you can expect from living in Copenhagen. 

Weather

In Denmark, you will encounter cool summers and temperate and windy winters. 

KPIs

• Average Daylight: 17 hours in summer and 7 hours in winter
• Average weather: 21º C in summer and -1º C in winter
• Average rainfall: 171 days 

► Cost of living

Finding an apartment

To find an apartment, you will first need to know the different districts the city is divided into. Each district has its unique features, one of the reasons for the diversity Copenhagen offers. The most notable districts are: Inner Copenhagen, this is the heart of the Danish capital, with canals and its harbor; Amager, south of inner Copenhagen, offers new residential areas and flats. Other districts include Osterbro and Vesterbro, and Valby.

It is highly recommended to research these districts before to find the neighborhood that best suits your lifestyle. Living in Copenhagen can be rather costly, so it is important to set a budget to get an idea of what types of apartments you should search for and where.

Even though the prices can be higher than other cities, Copenhagen has an outstanding health care system that offers an abundance of medical facilities and services to all citizens.

If the cost of living is high, it is most likely that you will be earning a high income as well, and living in a city with countless benefits and its over-the-top life quality. 

Commuting

The public transportation in Copenhagen is one of the best worldwide. Trains are consistently on time, they are clean, the stations are carefully located to reach all areas of the city, it’s a great place to make friends, comfortable, and modern.  The preferred way of commuting in the city is by bus, train, and metro. These are highly reliable and they can take you to your destination in a short time thanks to their efficiency and frequency. 

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► Professional Environment

Company Profile

Technology is a common factor in companies and the lifestyle. Copenhagen is modern and updated in all aspects. The city is definitely a startup hub with plenty of opportunities for international talent.

Startup success in Copenhagen has inspired a large wave of innovators, which has led the way for investors to increase, creating the base for even more startup success. 

Networking

Due to its internationality and diversity, the city’s expat groups organize events annually for networking between professionals. People in Copenhagen are happy to meet people from different parts of the world, so rest assured that you will be gladly welcomed in the city. 

► Culture

Traveling in-out

The International Airport of Copenhagen is located 8 kilometers away from the city center, making it easily accessible, is one of the busiest airports in Europe.  With over 60 commercial carriers, you can fly across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. 

Leisure

One of the largest challenges for newcomers is the rainy weather, however, there are many activities you enjoy to understand the culture and, do as the Danes: go outdoors, ignoring the weather and dressing accordingly.

Copenhagen has a vast number of gardens and parks, like the Botanical Garden, where you can enjoy a relaxing walk at any time of the day. If you enjoy reading a book on a Saturday, or any other day, you can take a walk to the libraries and community centers in the city. Copenhagen has over 20 public libraries to choose from, where you can choose from an amazing collection of books and have a cup of coffee at the library’s café. 

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The city’s cultural and historical aspects are proudly displayed. You can visit museums, galleries, and theatres. There are plenty of museums that offer entrance for free on weekends, so you can enjoy a ride back to the history of Denmark. Some highlights include: Glyptoteket, a gallery of unique arts and antiques collection; Thorvaldsens Museum,  and Mostings Hus, which offers six annual art exhibitions of contemporary works. 

Nightlife in Copenhagen is alive! There are dance clubs, bars, small pubs where you can meet your friends and colleagues for a drink after work. If you are looking for a casual hangout, you can opt for a sports bar or a wine bar!

Food

Thanks to the international community in Copenhagen, you can find all kinds of food from over the world. However, when you are living in the city you might want to try out some of their traditional dishes to really get into their culture.

Some of the best meals include: Rod Polse (red sausage) is a sausage served inside a bun with ketchup and mustard on top.

Living in the city, you will realize that Danes have a strong love for sausages. Flæskesteg is a plate connected with Christmas in Denmark. It’s roasted pork baked with spices, bay leaves, and cloves, and it’s served with boiled or caramelized potatoes.

And the many more cultural dishes you can taste while living in Copenhagen!

Sports

If you are a sports enthusiast, Copenhagen offers outstanding indoor fitness and swimming centers. These are great for families, or for a nice workout at the end of the day.

Another popular sport here is golf, with a total of 35 gulf courses across the city.

And, if you are a football fanatic, the Football Club København  (F.C. Copenhagen) is a club that maintains the tradition of the city, you will see that bars and restaurants fill up when it’s game day to watch the match sipping your favorite drink.

Yachting is the sport that has won more medals internationally than any other sport in Denmark. 

► Day trips

1. Kronborg Castle: home to Shakespeare’s fictional character Hamlet, the castle has been standing since 1420. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can visit the chapel, and the castle’s wings, and learn about the history of this Danish landmark. Each summer you can see performances of Hamlet at the annual Shakespeare Festival at Kronborg Castle. It’s a 45-minute train ride away from the city center. 
2. Frederiksborg Castle: surrounded by beautiful gardens and a lake, the Dutch Renaissance-style palace was built in the 1600s. After a fire burned down some of the building, the chapel and part of the castle remains and is now devoted to the Museum of National History, that exhibits a sizeable art collection with historical paintings, portraits, and modern art. 
3. Dragør: is one of the prettiest villages in Denmark, is a perfect visit for a bike ride across de moorland and along the coast. The village has a strong fishing history, as well as it hosts summer festivals of music and art. This is the perfect weekend getaway for relaxation and a great insight into the Danish culture. 

Photo by Febiyan on Unsplash

We hope that you have found this guide useful.

Find more details, information, and KPIs about Copenhagen in our Expat Guide.

The Fut-Ure Team will likewise be happy to help you to set up in the city if you are looking for a job in the region, or give you more information about the local Talent market (including details and advice in topics like Taxes and legal) if you are planning to open an office in Copenhagen.

Take a look at our Job Offers, and contact us!

Let’s build your Fut-Ure together.