16 Things I’ve Learned After Living in Copenhagen for 5 Years

In 2020, I moved from London to Copenhagen. I had been planning to move to Scandinavia for years before doing so, and actually lived in Stockholm briefly in 2019. But while moving to Sweden didn’t work out, I was determined to make my second attempt at moving abroad successful. 

Five years later, I’m still in Copenhagen. So, I guess you could say that things went much better this time. Moving abroad will inevitably change you, and despite visiting the Danish capital seven times before finally making it my home, I am still a completely different person than I was when I stepped off the plane on that sunny September day. 

While there have been some trials and tribulations, I am certain that moving to Copenhagen is still the best decision I’ve ever made. Through the ups and downs, I have learned a lot about myself and also about living abroad in general. My worldview has changed significantly, and I’m grateful for the opportunities that have come my way since moving to Denmark. 

Since I’ve now been living in Copenhagen for five years, I wanted to put together this piece compiling the most important lessons I’ve learned. You’ll find these useful if you’re also planning to move here, and many of them will be applicable to moving abroad in general. 

1. The Sooner You Start, the Better

I had to do various things when I first moved to Copenhagen, and admittedly, it sometimes got overwhelming. However, one of the most important steps I took was to treat this as something more than a short-term stay. From the moment I got my first apartment lease, I committed myself to building a life here. 

Besides the obvious things like opening a Danish bank account, setting up my business here, and getting a CPR number, I started learning Danish more seriously. You get up to five years of free classes when you register as a resident in Denmark, and I started with these before then paying for private classes (and then going back to the free ones). 

Even before moving to Denmark, I had already started with textbooks and Duolingo. While I only recently feel like I’ve learned the language to a good standard, starting early and making the commitment was still wise. If I had only begun now, I feel like it would’ve been more challenging (though not impossible). 

Besides starting with the language, I recommend joining clubs and societies that you want to join as soon as possible. You won’t be perfect, but everything is easier if you start sooner. 

2. Decide if the Tradeoffs Are Worth It

When I was in my early twenties, I had the naive idea that Scandinavia was a perfect utopia with no downsides. My beliefs extended to Copenhagen. But this is not true; there are pros and cons to living in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and any other country. Nowhere is perfect; expecting it to be will set you up for disappointment. 

After the initial despair of realizing that lengthy grocery store queues are annoying in any country, I realized that accepting the tradeoffs is part of living anywhere. 

Do I wish that Copenhagen had mountains? Yes. Am I willing to deal with not having those and visit Iceland, the Faroe Islands, or Norway when I want to see them? Also yes. 

Do I still dislike bureaucracy? Yes. But frankly, Denmark is much more efficient in this respect than most countries. 

Do I wish that Copenhagen were less expensive? Yes. But am I willing to pay more for a high quality of life? Also yes. 

“What problems are you willing to deal with?” is the most important question I’ve asked myself in the last five years. Sure, I could move somewhere else, but am I willing to deal with those tradeoffs compared to Copenhagen? Probably not. 

This isn’t important just for moving to Copenhagen, but also anywhere else you think of living in. The downsides are a part of the package, not a random glitch. 

3. You and Your Life Will Evolve

My life now looks very different from when I moved to Copenhagen. While I have some of the same friends as I did in the beginning, I’ve also since met new people and lost contact with others. I also moved here as a single 25-year-old and now am in a long-term relationship. Some of my interests are different, too, and my daily routine has changed over time. 

At first, I was very resistant to change. I felt like I was failing because I had worked so hard to move here, so any deviation from the life I had in the beginning felt like a betrayal. At some point, I realized this is just part of the process. 

The people in your life will likely change when you live abroad. Your habits will inevitably change. You’ll also pick up new hobbies and tastes. Letting these ebb and flow with grace is crucial.

4. Adventures Exist Everywhere

When I lived in London, I was constantly looking for the next trip abroad. I spent most of my time in between travel looking for flights on Skyscanner to escape my daily life. While I’m grateful for those experiences (and they were the prerequisite for starting this blog), I do wish that I had started appreciating the intricacies of daily life earlier than just before I was about to move away.

Since moving to Copenhagen, I’ve realized that adventures exist everywhere. You don’t need to jump on a flight to the other side of the world, though that is admittedly sometimes nice. 

“But Danny, that’s easy for you to say when you live in Copenhagen!” 

Fair point, but I stand by what I said. When I was still in London in early 2020, for example, I made my own adventures by exploring random parks and streets. Even looking up at buildings and seeing unique features, or noticing how the tree leaves have changed, all count. 

Now that I’ve established myself in Copenhagen, I’ve found this point to be even more important. I often look for random details that I previously haven’t noticed, and it’s always rewarding. Going for walks without your phone is a great way to do this on autopilot. 

5. Slowing Down Gets You Better Results

For pretty much my entire life up until the age of 30, I was on a hamster wheel. Since I spent most of my childhood between London and New York City, this is hardly surprising. I felt like this was the only way to live, and even after moving to Copenhagen, I kept those old habits. 

One thing I like about Copenhagen is that if you’re here for long enough, the city forces you to slow down. And to be totally honest, I needed that. Since making a commitment to not rush all the time, something magical has happened: I’m actually getting better results in life. 

I feel more recovered daily, I don’t have constant brain fog, and I’m less likely to get injured while training. While I believe you can take the steps to slow down everywhere, your environment does play a huge role. It would be much harder for me to maintain this lifestyle if I lived in a megacity, and every time I visit one, I catch myself speeding up again. 

6. Moving Abroad Won’t Automatically Solve All of Your Problems

Okay, so this was one of the most brutal lessons I needed to learn. While I wanted to move to the Nordic region because I really like the culture and way of life, I also used to think that it would solve all my other problems. Spoiler alert: It didn’t, and if anything, it amplified them. 

I see a lot of people move abroad to run away from something, and I don’t think that’s the best way to live. As the saying goes: Wherever you go, there you are. 

Moving to Copenhagen did, however, create distance and make space for me to deal with those problems. I also think that changing your environment is important, so from that perspective, it at least helped me make the first few steps. 

7. Commit to Your Community

Having lots of options is a blessing and a curse. Since I’m an Italian citizen (my father is Italian), I can live anywhere in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. It’s nice not to have complicated visa paperwork, but at the same time, it can lead to decision fatigue. 

Investing your time in the people around you and being a member of your community is the best thing you can do when you live abroad. For me, this meant actually making the effort to integrate into public life. I deliberately aimed to mix with Danes and non-Danes, and I also eventually decided to stop this “one foot in, one foot out” mentality. Both feet are firmly placed. 

Since doing that, I’ve felt more connected to Copenhagen. Moreover, my friendships are stronger, and I don’t feel the need to constantly move around. I value long-term connections and quality over quantity. 

If I ever did move somewhere else short-term (e.g., Japan), I would see it more as a temporary work project for this blog. I would still keep my memberships and bank accounts open, along with reading in both Danish and English. For me, I think this is the best approach. Transient friendships get exhausting after a while. 

8. Don’t be the Entitled Expat

I am actually proud that I picked up this lesson very quickly, because I can hold my hand up and say that I definitely was the entitled expat in Stockholm. I hold no hard feelings against the city because when I self-reflect, I can firmly say that I was the problem (in fact, I still love visiting the Swedish capital). 

I did not want to fall into the same traps when I moved to Copenhagen, and I made it very clear to myself that we would not succumb to what I call Entitled Expat Syndrome. 

Basically, this is someone who expects to move somewhere and have the local population roll out the red carpet for them. And they expect this while constantly talking about how things in their home country are better, not trying to understand the cultural differences, and wondering why others won’t give in to their every demand. 

Besides being this person in the past, I’ve also met others with this mentality. They almost never stay in the place they live, and if they do, it’s out of reluctance rather than choice. It’s not conducive to a good life. 

When I moved to Copenhagen, I told myself that I would give this my best shot and actually try to become part of the society welcoming me in. By doing this, I had better experiences almost immediately. 

9. Sometimes, the Grass Is Greener

A lot of people love to throw around the phrase “The grass isn’t always greener”. This is true, but sometimes, the grass *is* greener. 

While London is a great city to visit (and I still have friends who enjoy living there), it wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the fast pace of life or being there in general. I always had an inclination that I wanted to move somewhere more relaxed, and for me, Copenhagen is a much better fit. 

At the same time, I’m sure there are some people in Copenhagen who don’t like the pace of life here and want to move somewhere like London. There isn’t a right or wrong answer, but sometimes, you would be happier in a different place from where you live. 

The key is to know when you’re saying “the grass isn’t always greener” as a cope for not making a big decision. If that’s the case, it’s a sign you probably need to change something. 

10. Integration Takes Time

While I still enjoyed my first few years in Copenhagen, it was still not easy in the sense that I didn’t feel fully integrated. My third year here was the first time I started to have doubts about whether I wanted to stay. However, I eventually realized that the solution was to keep going but accept that it would take time. 

To be brutally honest, it took me over four years to feel like I was fully integrated. By that, I mean that I don’t sweat when I get a Danish-only email, I’m happy reading books in Danish and English, and I have connections that mostly aren’t planning to be here for just a few months before leaving again. 

To be honest, I would’ve been happy to increase the timescale to 10 years if needed before feeling fully integrated. It takes time, and that’s just how it is. Keep persisting and you’ll get there eventually. 

11. The Digital Nomad Lifestyle Isn’t for Me

In my early twenties, the idea of being a digital nomad really appealed to me. I actually tried it briefly; after living in Sweden, I traveled around the Baltics while working online. Having tried being a digital nomad and also having one base that I like, the latter works better for me. 

I like being in Copenhagen and my day-to-day lifestyle here. I also like that the city is well-placed to explore the rest of Northern Europe. Having a place to come back to after each trip is also nice. 

For some people, the digital nomad lifestyle works for them. And if you’re one of those, more power to you. But for me, I just realized that the alternative fits my personality better. Again, there is no right or wrong answer; it’s purely individual. 

12. Sometimes, a Change of Scenery Is Still Nice

While I love living in Copenhagen, I don’t want to necessarily be here 365 days a year. I used to think that wanting to take vacations meant I was falling out of love with the city, but it literally just means I want a change of scenery and to recuperate before returning. 

Living in Copenhagen makes travel incredibly easy. I can take a day trip to Malmö in less than an hour, while Hamburg is under five hours away by train. Besides exploring Northern Europe, I also like how Copenhagen Airport a) is actually good, and b) has flight connections to most of Europe, plus North America and Asia. If I want to visit my family in the UK, it takes less than two hours. 

For me, it’s about balancing an enjoyable day-to-day life and being able to still explore the world. I have always had a travel bug (hence why I run a travel blog), and having the option to satisfy that side of me is important.

13. Learning the Local Language Opens Doors

Can you get by in Copenhagen with just English? Yes, to an extent. Pretty much everyone here speaks excellent English. That’s fine if you’re visiting, but if you plan to live here long-term, not speaking Danish will needlessly leave lots of doors closed. 

I liken knowing Danish and not knowing Danish to a software subscription. Speaking just English is the free version; you’ll get the basic benefits, but nothing more. On the other hand, speaking Danish will open all the features up to you. 

After passing the PD3 Danish exam, I felt like my life instantly changed. Besides feeling like I was now part of the community, it has been much easier to become friends with Danes. While I work for myself, it will also make things much simpler if you would prefer to have a job.  

For me, living somewhere long-term = learning the local language, no matter how long it takes. Personally, I think that’s the most rewarding route. Plus, learning a language makes you understand the culture much better.

14. The Honeymoon Phase *Will* End

When I first moved to Copenhagen, I felt like I was on Cloud Nine for the first three months. However, the honeymoon phase has to end at some point. At some point, Copenhagen became a place I lived in and wasn’t just on an extended visit. 

The ending of the honeymoon period is not a bad thing. It’s just part of the journey. Realizing this made it easier to transition to the “living” phases, though it still wasn’t easy. 

Even after the honeymoon phase, I still really enjoy living here. I’ve realized that having a content baseline, with some highs and lows, is much better than massive levels of volatility. Knowing that the honeymoon period will end makes it easier to focus on long-term commitment. 

15. You Can Adapt While Still Being Yourself

One understandable concern for many people moving abroad is adapting to the local society and losing yourself in the process. I think this is completely reasonable, and knowing this, I sought to strike a balance between integrating and not losing the personal qualities that make me better. 

I have realized that this is very much possible, but in my opinion, it will depend on your personality. For example, I have some personality traits that are common with Copenhagen, such as valuing personal space. I also believe that the Danish capital is less conformist than some parts of Scandinavia, so this does make it easier to balance the two. 

At the same time, I have changed some of my habits. For example, I still value seeking discomfort—but rather than the chaos of the Tube at rush hour, I now do intense physical exercise and hot/cold exposure.

16. Copenhagen Is the Right Place for Me, but Not for Everyone

It’s impossible to look at a quality of life index without seeing Copenhagen close to the top. And in my opinion, living here is better than pretty much everywhere else. However, that is largely because my personality is a natural fit for Copenhagen. To an extent, it’s also similar to what I’m used to; the weather is similar to the UK and more importantly, I like the weather (seriously—try visiting Copenhagen in winter before you choose to move here). Culturally, Britain and Denmark have a lot in common, too. 

But just because Copenhagen is right for me, it doesn’t mean it’s the right place for everyone. Rather than taking indexes as the absolute truth, you need to know what you do and don’t like. I can’t really see myself living anywhere else, but I also know people who’ve moved here and quickly left for somewhere else. 

Just because Copenhagen is right for me doesn’t automatically make me successful, in the same way that moving here and it not working out doesn’t equal failure. Different people have different preferences.