Navigating the move to Denmark from Ireland: Tips and useful information for foreigners

Thinking about making a change in your life and moving to Denmark? It’s a big step but with the right tools and information you can make moving abroad a little simpler for yourself.

This guide is here to give you an overview of what moving to Denmark from Ireland would be like, including visas, cost of living, healthcare and rent.

We’ll also let you know about the Wise Account, which cleverly allows you to manage Danish krone and Euro through a single account.

Wise: EUR and DKK
in one account

Facts about Denmark

• Denmark population in 2024: 5,989,000⁵
• Currency: Danish krone (DKK)
• Official languages: Danish⁵
• Time difference: Denmark is 1 hour ahead of Ireland
• Number of Irish expats: Around 2500⁶

Moving to Denmark as a EU citizen: How does it work?

Since Ireland and Denmark are both part of the European Union, Irish citizens can freely enter the country to live, work or study.

There’s no need to apply for a Denmark visa in Ireland or do anything else related to immigration before you leave, making it easier to move to Denmark than it is for many non-EU citizens.¹

Obtaining an EU residence document

If you plan to stay in Denmark for more than a couple months you will need to apply for an EU residence document before the first 3 months is up.¹ This document acts as proof that you have the right to live in Denmark as an EU citizen or family member of an EU citizen.

To get the permit you need to apply to the local municipality, for example in Copenhagen you can apply by appointment at SIRI Copenhagen Main Office or SIRI Copenhagen at International House.

As part of your application you will need to show that you fall under one of these categories.

• Worker
• Self-Employed Person
• Student
• Have Sufficient Resources
• Family Member

Specific guidelines on applying for a residence permit under each of these categories can be found on the New to Denmark website.

Can I move to Denmark without a job?

As a Irish, you can initially move to Denmark without a job and don’t need a special permit to get one, but you will need to find a job if you’re planning on using that as your reason for obtaining an EU residence permit for Denmark.¹

Finding a job in Denmark

In Denmark you can find a job through many of the same avenues as Ireland, for example online job boards. If you’re having trouble your local municipality may have services to help you find a job and there’s also a free E-Learning course you can do.²

Here’s a few job boards in Denmark to get you started:

• English Jobs Denmark
• Work in Denmark
• Jobindex
• Jobnet
• Ofir

Things to keep in mind when job hunting in Denmark

Like with most countries, life is easier in Denmark if you speak the local language. Getting a job without speaking Danish is more difficult, but still possible given English is commonly spoken as an international language.

Some professions are regulated in Denmark so before working you may need to be vetted and authorised by the relevant Danish agency.² A key example of this is healthcare.

The Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education offers a free service where they provide a written assessment of your foreign qualifications, explaining them to potential employers within the Danish context. The only downside is the turnaround time can be 1-2 months.

Cost of living Ireland vs Denmark: Comparison

Denmark and Ireland have some variation in the cost of living, with everyday items generally being more expensive in Denmark, while rental prices can be higher in Ireland.

When it comes to making your move, it’s important to consider whether what you will receive working in Denmark will cover your expenses adequately.

To give you a more specific idea of how the cost of living in Ireland compares to Denmark, here’s what you can generally expect to spend on these expenses if you were living in Dublin versus Copenhagen.³

Expense³	Dublin	Copenhagen
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	€20.00	€20.08
Regular cappuccino	€4.00	€5.85
1L of milk	€1.31	€1.84
1kg of chicken fillets	€9.65	€10.31
1kg of local cheese	€7.57	€11.75
Monthly public transport pass	€116.67	€93.70
Monthly unlimited internet	€52.57	€33.98
Annual international primary school fees (1 child)	€9192.31	€8617.11

How much does it cost to move to Denmark? 💰

How much it costs to move to Denmark will vary depending on what your plans are. Here are some moving related expenses to consider:

• Airfares and pet transportation, if necessary
• Packing, relocating and unpacking personal belongings
• Accommodation on arrival to Denmark
• Housing and move-in costs
• Buying items for your new home
• Insurance
• Purchasing a car in Denmark
• Converting Euros to Danish krone

How to open a bank account in Denmark

Opening a bank account in Denmark requires you to go through a few hoops first due to the documentation that’s asked for.

Here’s an idea of what you’ll likely be expected to provide to a Danish bank when opening an account⁹:

• Passport or similar photo ID
• Danish health insurance card
• CPR (Civil Registration Number) or TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number)
• Residence permit
• Employment agreement or study confirmation

If you want an alternative to manage multiple currencies, you can check Wise. With a Wise Account you can convert between Euros and Danish krone, holding and spending both as needed with the Wise card.

You'll also be able to receive DKK via Swift. This means you can share your account details to receive payments in the local currency.

You can apply for the account before you leave Ireland or after you arrive in Denmark, and you can register online in minutes.

Health care system in Denmark

In Denmark they have public healthcare which Irish citizens can access based on the premise that they are covered by a public healthcare system in another EU/EEA state.⁷

To access these services you may have to show proof of your coverage, for example a European Health Insurance Card.

If you’ve moved to Denmark and are covered by their national health insurance you can register with a local GP and receive a yellow health insurance card, which proves you’re entitled to services.⁸

Renting in Denmark: Where can you find an apartment?

Most foreigners living in Denmark choose to rent a home as it’s much easier than buying.

You can rent from a private landlord or a housing association, although properties from housing associations often have a waitlist because the rental price is generally lower.

Here’s a few websites where you can start your hunt for a Danish rental property:

• Danmark Bolig
• BoligPortal
• Bolighub
• Rentola

Average rent prices in Denmark

The average rental price in Denmark will vary depending on where you live and the type of property.

To give you a rough idea, here’s how the monthly rental prices can compare between Dublin in Ireland, and Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark.

Property type	Dublin³	Copenhagen³	Aarhus⁴
1 bedroom apartment in the city centre	€2015.48	€1616.90	€1191.57
3 bedroom apartment in the city centre	€3442.43	€2839.33	€2006.38
1 bedroom apartment outside the city centre	€1738.64	€1165.12	€871.56
3 bedroom apartment outside the city centre	€2839.54	€1989.41	€1475.41

As you can see, there are some advantages to living in Denmark in terms of the rental price.

Moving to Denmark from Ireland? Save on your relocation costs with Wise

As we’ve mentioned your move to Denmark is going to involve converting Euros to Danish krone and vice versa. A simple and easy way to do this is using Wise.

With Wise you can make international transfers at the mid-market rate (the rate you usually see on Google). This is the midpoint between the buy and sell points on the international currency exchange, making it a fair way to decide what you get for your money.

Wise is transparent about all the costs of the transaction and doesn't apply any markups on the exchange rate. You'll see the rate updates at every minute, so you can make your choice.

Apart from being able to send money abroad to +160 countries using Wise money transfer services, you can also open a Wise Account.

With this account, you can hold and convert money in more than 40 currencies (including Danish krone) whenever you need to, using the website, Wise app, or even spending with your Wise card.

When you spend with your card, Wise first draws money from the local balance on your account, then uses smart technology to automatically convert other currencies as needed.

Open your Wise Account
for free 🚀

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Moving to Denmark: Pros and cons

To sum it up, here are a few general pros and cons of moving to Denmark.

Pros ✅	Cons ❌
Housing can be cheaper than Ireland The immigration process is simpler than some countries thanks to Denmark and Ireland both being part of the European Union Access to Danish public healthcare as an Irish citizen eligible for HSE	The cost of daily expensive can be higher than Ireland It can be more difficult to fit into daily society if you don’t speak Danish They use the Danish Krone instead of Euros like Ireland

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Sources used:

1. City of Copenhagen - EU residence document
2. Life in Denmark - Before Moving
3. Numbeo - Cost of Living Comparison Between Copenhagen and Dublin
4. Numbeo - Cost of Living in Aarhus
5. Britannica - Denmark Facts
6. The Local - In Numbers: The foreign nationalities living in Denmark and where in the country they live
7. Danish Patient Safety Authority - Access to healthcare in Denmark
8. Life in Denmark - Health insurance card
9. Nordea - How to get a Danish bank account
10. Life in Denmark - Renting a home

Sources last checked on date: 15 July 2024