Danes are used to paying more for just about everything compared to the rest of western Europe. However, the price of a gym membership is among the lowest in the region.
According to Numbeo.com, a site that compares global consumer prices, gym memberships in Denmark are currently the cheapest.
Finland's the most expensive
The monthly fee average in Denmark is 233 kroner, and Sweden is only marginally more at 250 kroner (see fact box below).
At the other end of the scale are the UK (336 kroner), France (355), Italy (380) and Finland (415).
Strong competition in Denmark
Kasper Lund Kirkegaard, a chief researcher at the Danish Sports Federation, is not surprised by the low prices in Denmark.
"There is strong competition thanks to two very large players – Fitness World and Fitness.dk – who have caused the price to drop," Kirkegaard told DR.
Going below average
At Stevns Motionscenter, the monthly card costs below average: just 200 kroner.
Still, the head of the centre, Ole Hansen, plans to reduce the price by another 25 kroner.
"We compare our prices to other gyms in town, and since we are not a particularly large centre, we have decided to set the price 25 kroner lower," Hansen explained to DR.
As little as 99
Kirkegaard believes, though, that local gyms "have reached the bottom" and further price reductions are not likely.
Currently, the cheapest nationwide fitness centres offer training for as little as 99 kroner per month, without any binding.
FACT BOX: Monthly gym membership prices in Europe (Source: Numbeo.com)
Denmark 233 kroner
Austria 236 kroner
Greece 250 kroner
Sweden 251 kroner
Portugal 304 kroner
Belgium 307 kroner
Spain 314 kroner
UK 336 kroner
France 355 kroner
Italy 376 kroner
Finland 415 kroner
