Great Work vs. Cold Welcomes in Denmark in 2026

Denmark offers expats the world’s best flexibility at work, affordable healthcare, and personal safety. But reserved locals make it one of the hardest places to settle.

➡️You’re welcome to use these 2026 Expat Insider results. Please remember to credit InterNations as the source, and where possible, include a link to www.internations.org.

In this article:

In Brief
The World’s Best Work Culture?
Safe, Green & Easy to Get Around
A Famously Hard Place to Settle
Expats Worry about Costs Before Moving
Little Red Tape but Hard to Find Housing
The Typical Expat in Denmark
Further Reading

In Brief

Denmark ranks 16th out of 31 destinations in the Expat Insider 2026 survey. It excels in the Working Abroad (2nd) and Quality of Life (7th) Indices and receives mid-table results for Expat Essentials (19th) and Personal Finance (20th).

However, the biggest challenges are found in the Ease of Settling In Index (25th). All things considered, two in three expats (67%) are happy with life in Denmark, a little below the 70% global average.

The World’s Best Work Culture?

Denmark is a near-perfect place to work, ranking 2nd in the Working Abroad Index and even 1st in its Work & Leisure and Work Culture & Satisfaction Subcategories.

It tops the table for working hours, where four in five expats (80%) are satisfied — well above the 63% global average — and ranks 2nd for work-life balance. The average full-time week is a short 39.3 hours against the 42.2-hour global norm. Expats also very much agree that the Danish business culture supports flexibility (1st).

Opinion

I like commuting with bicycle, my work-life balance, and high salary. (Greek expat in Copenhagen)

Opinion

Over three in four expats (76%) feel well compensated (vs. 58%), and the economy ranks 6th. Overall job satisfaction lands on an 8th place, rounding out a near-flawless working environment.

The local job market (22nd) and personal career opportunities (15th) lag a little behind, though.

Safe, Green & Easy to Get Around

In the Quality of Life Index (7th), Denmark ranks 1st for Safety & Security — nearly all expats (97%) feel safe (vs. 81% globally).

Expats also appreciate that it’s easy and safe to get around on foot or by bicycle (98% positive vs. 78% globally) and that public transport is readily available (84% vs. 72%). It is just not cheap (27th).

The good air quality (7th) and affordability of healthcare (1st) are further highlights in the index. But the climate and weather (25th) as well as a comparative lack of culinary variety (24th) and culture and nightlife offerings (25th) keep Denmark from getting an even better result for the quality of life.

A Famously Hard Place to Settle

Denmark ranks 25th in the Ease of Settling In Index. Fewer than one in five expats there (19%) find it easy to make local friends (vs. 39% globally), and the country ranks 24th for both feeling at home and feeling welcome.

Opinion

No one could accuse the Danes of being terribly warm and cuddly types, though you do meet some very nice people. [...] They do not make friends easily. (US American expat in Copenhagen)

Opinion

Getting used to the Danish culture (24th) takes a while as well. Correspondingly, the expat community dominates socially — about half (49%) say their friends are mostly other expats. Notably, more than a quarter of expats (28%) moved to Denmark for love, far above the 11% global share, suggesting many arrive through relationships rather than for the lifestyle itself.

Maybe that is why about a third of expats (34%) intend to stay forever, above the 27% global share.

Expats Worry about Costs Before Moving

Denmark places 20th in the Personal Finance Index. Only about a quarter of expats (24%) rate the cost of living positively (vs. 39% globally), and the high cost was the top pre-move worry, named by about half (46%). Still, all in all, 58% are satisfied with their financial situation (vs. 55%), most likely also thanks to the aforementioned fair pay they receive for their work (2nd).

Little Red Tape but Hard to Find Housing

The Expat Essentials Index (19th) presents a mixed picture. Digital life is a strength: Denmark tops this subcategory, ranking 2nd for cashless payment and 4th for fast home internet and the online availability of government services. And not a single respondent had anything negative to say about the unrestricted access to online services.

Denmark further places 7th for dealing with bureaucracy, whether online or in person. Three in five expats (60%) find authorities easy to deal with (vs. 38% globally).

These results are in contrast to the ones in the Housing (25th) and Language (22nd) Subcategories. With 55%, expats in Denmark are 20-percentage points more likely than the global average to disagree that finding a place is easy. And a similar share (54%) rate its affordability negatively (vs. 49%). Fewer than one in five expats (17%) find it easy to learn Danish, even though — or maybe because — getting by without speaking it ranks a comfortable 8th.