Denmark by far the most expensive EU country to live in

Danish consumers pay 42 percent more for food, drink and clothing that the EU average

Jun 27, 2018

It’s probably not the first time you’ve heard it, and it probably won’t be the last.

But once again Denmark has been found to be the most expensive EU country to live it – when looking at Eurostat’s latest price level index for household final consumption expenditure (here in English).

Danish consumers pay 42 percent more for food, drink, clothing, footwear, alcohol and tobacco than the average EU citizen – in fact nowhere in the EU is it more expensive to purchase food, non-alcoholic drinks and footwear than Denmark.

Denmark also led the way in electricity, gas and other fuels, consumer electronics, personal transport equipment and restaurants and hotels.

‘Billig’ Bulgaria
Luxembourg was second behind Denmark, followed by Sweden, Ireland, Finland and the UK.

The good news is that the Danes still have a ways to go before they are the most expensive overall in Europe. Non-EU countries Iceland, Switzerland and Norway were all more expensive than Denmark, with the Icelanders leading the way.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Bulgaria was the most affordable country to live in (52 percent below the EU average), followed by Romania, Poland, Hungary and Lithuania.

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