Saw this on twitter. I’ve been thinking about moving to Denmark since it’s the closet to my home country (Germany) but I wanted to be sure: How true is this?
Saw this on twitter. I’ve been thinking about moving to Denmark since it’s the closet to my home country (Germany) but I wanted to be sure: How true is this?
26 comments
Most forms of education is free.
Denmark doesn’t have a minimum wage but some companies exploit immigrant labor and don’t pay them much more than 10 USD an hour. But the overall minimum expected wage is somewhat true.
A normal work week is 37 hours. But a lot of people work much more than that to pay their bills or because that’s the expectation of their work place.
We may be one of the happiest countries in the world but that doesn’t mean everything is sunshine and rainbows and that we treat everyone with a hug or a smile.
Most importantly us Danes love complaining. It’s like a national sport. Don’t mean we aren’t happy though
We have free healthcare. However it’s under a lot of pressure and the nurses are underpaid.
We have free education. However the government is working on cutting down a lot of master degrees and students are expected to complete their education within five years otherwise you will need to take a student loan.
The average is 37 hours. Some work more some work less. However the government wants us to work more.
Doesn’t Germany also have free healthcare and free schools?
I thought this was a common thing in Europe.
It is true. All the comments in this post are typical spoiled danish responses. We live in the best place on earth. But society demands that you participate in the collective to keep our living standards high. This means high taxes. But I would not live anywhere else. Be like Denmark.
Our breaks (lunch break for example) are often paid. You can also find jobs where It’s not. But in general the workers are protected by laws and unions.
37 is normal, but many also work 32-35 hours pr week. Fx in nursing homes.
There is no legal minimum wage, we rely on the market to regulate the wages though it does seem to work for us, and the work week is 37 hours a week
“Denmark has free healthcare and free college”
Well, free and free. You will py it through taxes when you grow up, its basically a long term investment for the government.
“Denmark’s minimum wage is $25/hour and people work 35 hour weeks.”
There is no minimum wage afaik, some people abuse others, but I believe you generally get $20 or more (not entirely sure).
You generally work more than 35 hour weeks.
“Denmark is the happiest country in the world.”
In 2022, Finland is the happiest, Denmark is second.
“Free” healthcare and college is paid through taxes. I much prefer this, but it is not free.
We do not have minimum wages, unless the workplace is unionised, and most larger workplaces are. Most people work 37 hours a week.
“The happiest country” is actually measured on who is the most contend. While we have had that questionable honour for quite some time, we are afaik be 2 or 3 on the list, losing to our Scandinavian brothers.
I am still happy to be Danish and living here.
Nothing is free. We’re getting brutally taxed. However in the end, I think it’s a fair trade
Happiest country in the world, just coincidentally also teenage alcoholism capitol of the world and one of the top users of antidepressants.
Nothing is right.
Healthcare and college is paid for in taxes.
There is no minimum wage.
A full work week is 37 hours.
And the finns are the happiest nation in the world.
There’s no free dental so use the german free dental before you move here.
My boyfriend is German and moved to Copenhagen just before corona hit.
I’m very happy 🥶😣
You are more likely to get a higher salary in Denmark compared to Germany if you want a lower level job. Top jobs are better payed in Germany.
But you will need to adapt to the culture in Denmark which is quite different. Eg if you have a challenge at work and the boss isn’t around, then you don’t need to ask for permission to solve it, and it is expected you do. You may want to say it is the same in Germany, but I have worked in several companies in Germany and I can assure you this is not the case in Germany.
And this leads to the German notion: Alles ist besser im Deutschland. This is something you Will have to leve at the border and give it 5 years before you can comment on this. Why – eg look at the GDP!
As an immigrant who has moved from Colombia to Spain, and then to Denmark I must say the experience depends also on which city – town – Kommune, you choose to live in. I’m currently in Aarhus, and I’m in love with this place, although if I have the money I would buy a house in Langeland (beautiful island)
I do also agree with the statement: healthcare and education aren’t free, you pay for that through your taxes.
* People in Aarhus are smiley and so far I haven’t experienced any racism or discrimination.
* I am surprised though by the amount of garbage I see around bus stations
* The amount of alcohol consumed by teenagers and adults is surprisingly high, and remember, I have moved from Colombia and Spain to Denmark, so yes, I guess it was a shock to discover how much people tend to drink here.
* Since I moved I’ve found myself way more relaxed than in any other country I have lived in or visited.
* If you like rainy, cold, cloudy days during winter, this is your country. I also love those days.
* My partner works around 15-20 hours a week, he is paid around 135-140 Kr. /Hr before taxes, but he tells me he has never felt so nice and accepted in a job before. (He is Spanish)
* The green areas, clean air, and having access to nature in less than 20 minutes by bike is one of my favs about this country.
* I love how the working culture or the society in general avoid talking about themselves and “how great they are”, I definitely hate petulant and pedantic behavior, as well as competitive coworkers who believe showing off will get you somewhere.
* I was happily surprised by the fact that Danes aren’t as serious as the rest of the world might imagine an Scandinavian might be.
* They aren’t as punctual as some info online claims they are.
…
I’m currently visiting Spain for a few days (to spend Christmas with my in-laws), it was hell a surprise to see the sun was still up at 4 PM 😅. I have missed the Mediterranean food, but I think that’s all. I’m missing my little apartment in Aarhus, the clean air, the green areas, how calm everything seems to be up there in Aarhus (some exceptions apart), my silent neighbors… And so many little things that had me now thinking about how we do love all those things we haven’t ever experienced before because in my experience a lot of Scandinavians would love to live in Spain.
Op, it’s all true. But imma be honest with you, we also got some problems that we are working, same as every country. But we would be happy to have you here
it’s not true, that the minimum wage is 25 dollars per hour. idk, where they get that from. in fact, there is no minimum wage. at least not required by law. the lowest i’ve seen someone get, is more close to 17 bucks. unless you’re a phone salesman or something like that, then you get a lower wage, but usually very good options for bonuses.
it’s not true that we are the happiest place in the world. we have our flaws. people who are too sick to work, but too healthy to be on various welfare services, gets thrown around like a damn circus. stories pop up on the “news” rather frequently, about how the state does some very disgusting things towards citizens, like overrule a doctors note, because they don’t believe it.
i sometimes hear, that we shouldn’t complain because some people have it worse than we do, which is true. but it’s also true, that just because my neighbor lost both of his legs, doesn’t make the fact that i lost one of mine less sucky.
I don’t understand why people feel such a need to lie about this. There’s no minimal wage, although we have a strong presence of unions that effectively ensure a certain level of pay in certain industries but nothing is guaranteed by the government. The average full time work week is 37 hours, not 35. The number is a complete fabrication.
We do have tax-supported free healthcare unless you count dental as part of a healthy body.
I moved from Germany to Denmark end of August this year due to my boyfriend living here, rn I work as a help in a bed and breakfast and make 19/20€/h so 140dkk wich is really nice. Living costs are ofc higher here so it’s not a luxury living but I can keep myself comfortably above water. If you wanna bring your car think twice. Yes it is cheaper than buying a car here but I needed to pay 16500 dkk for „important my car“ in taxes wich is around 2300€ if I remember correctly. But it is really nice here. Try learning as much of the language as you can before moving it’ll make the learning process a bit easier when you are here.
Ok lets take it from the top
1. Yes that is denmark (some islands are missing tho)
2. Yes healthcare is “free” in the sense that they are paid over taxes and not paid by the consumer/consumers insurance
3. No the min wage is not 25usd per hour. Firstly, the “min wage” is set by unions (who are quite influential here), secondly the figure is wrong, even taking the unions into account, the pseudo min wage is still lower than 25 usd (currency as of 21/12)
No. Work week is not 35 hr/week. For some, it might be 35, 30, 32, 25 or whatever number, but full time is generally considered 37 hr/week. In a lot of fields it will be normal to work 40-45 hr/week, and in some, 30-35
4. Yes among the happiest in the world, not sure if ranked #1, but among the top consistently. This may have to do with danish people’s tendency to be content, even in circumstances that aren’t “ideal” to others
5. Yes be like Denmark (I’m looking at you, Sweden)
German here that lives in Danmark.
Health care is free. But as expensive as in Germany. Here you pay it with your taxes but it’s basically the same amount. And, sorry my danish friends, health care in Germany is much better. Cancer prevention is still very basic here. And good luck with diseases out of the norm here. I e.g. can’t get a specific blood test done because some doctor’s board in Denmark decided it’s not necessary. It is, but no chance to get it here, except at a private clinic. Also a lot less different meds are available here.
Other than that, you get a lot of positives.
Work-life-balance is a lot better here. You earn more for the same kind of work. Child care is better, too.
Danes are a lot like Italians regarding their attitude towards work. It pays, so you can have a nice life but they don’t let the job take over their life completely like it often happens in Germany with extra hours and pressure from above.
And now the worst…depending on where in Germany you come from. The weather sucks. No real summer, no real winter. And the landscape is a little boring.
So, don’t expect heaven – it’s still nice here. Germany or Denmark? Both have their pros and cons. I like both. I’d say give it a try. You can always go back if it’s not for you.
There is free healthcare, and in general things works better and with less bureaucracy than Germany. The free healthcare comes from the 8% AMBI – which is part of the world highest incomes taxes.
Minimum salary is higher, but there is more tax. My 14 y.o. son earned more in McDonalds than the adult McDonalds workers in Deutschland.
Work weeks are 37 hours, 5-6 weeks paid holiday.
Many public servants has paid lunch break (I don’t understand why they don’t remove that, at least for new hires). 29 minutes, can’t leave the workplace as they should be available for interruption during lunch break. I know that at city administration in Aarhus, MANY are breaking the rules and leaves the building. Nurses, police (not office workers) etc, are jobs where the paid lunch, but on immediate call makes sense.
I often go to Germany, and like Germany, but I am aware things works better here. In Germany you call you manager Herrn Schröder even if working in a store. Here in Denmark, you would call even the CEO of the biggest companies by first name, and he would listen to you. Often he eats in the same canteen as the rest of the staff.
As a Dane myself, my advice to you is NOT to get too hypnotized in regards to free healthcare (which is second rate by the way) and minimum wage.
As a foreigner you will have a very, very hard time getting new and close friends. In Denmark there are so many people who are alone that we this year created campaigns for trying to embrace people who are alone.
Depending on what you want, stay in the southern part of Denmark. There is a German minority there and you will also be able to find German speaking people there. That alone might make it way easier for you to get “involved”.
If you live there, you will also have easy access to cheaper goods at the border and housing is way cheaper.
I love how people remember education is free, but forget that not only is it free, but we also get a paid to attend an education from the age of 18.
Depends on what you are after. If you wanna build wealth then Denmark is not the place.
If you want a relaxing life with a low amount of work hours then Denmark is a great option.