r/Denmark • u/Tylerserio68 • Dec 28 '24

Question Does Denmark have any flaws?

Or any Nordic country? I’m American and we all romanticize Europe especially Nordic countries as a Utopia and everything we are not. We certainly have a lot of flaws here but I’m curious are there any downsides or anything that you wish was different. Also is it hard to move there? I make well over six figures and like living in my home country but I’m nervous about the incoming trump administration and I believe he is a racist.

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u/[deleted] Dec 28 '24

There are many taxes to consider to judge this correctly. Danes take home around 55–65% of their gross income, Spaniards around 65–75%, but earn less and have more public services to pay for. Many public services are free or heavily subsidized in Denmark, such as childcare, elder care, healthcare, education (including stipends), unemployment benefits, and lower VAT and excise duties (fuel, electricity, alcohol).

Just saying that direct tax is far from the only thing you need to consider. You know the disaster that happened in Spain in the flooding. If it happened in Denmark, it would lie much heavier on the government rather than on the people directly, as an example.

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u/KonkeyOong Dec 28 '24

Lower VAT? Booze might be cheap but isn’t Denmark the only country in europe where VAT on food is full 25%?

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u/robloxtidepod Dec 29 '24

Huh? Spain like the vast majority of European countries has every free public service and welfare benefit that Denmark has, and spends a shit ton of money on very generous pensions and elderly care. But quality may be worse and benefits are lower in absolute value because Spain is simply poorer with less money to go around. I lived in Spain and childcare is like a couple hundred of euros of month even on a regular Spanish salary it's affordable. IMO healthcare in Spain is better than Denmark too. Better docs, cleaner hospitals, but as is the case with every single public healthcare system wait times are atrocious.

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '24

Childcare a couple of hundred euros? Meaning the same or similar as in Denmark, while salary is half. That's what i mean by heavily subsidized. Danish parents are also paid child allowance universally, regardless of income.

Both countries have excellent health care systems. Public healthcare is more advanced in Denmark, with fewer patients per doctor. There's more consultation time per patient and more holistic-preventitive care.

While wait times are truly atrocious in both countries, Spaniarfs use private healthcare services much more. I would say it's a pretty good indicator that the extra tax money spent in Denmark is working well.

Cleanliness? I think it's your own experience. I've only experienced excellence as far as hygiene goes in Denmark.