I’ve been going on about the cost of things in Denmark pretty much since my plane touched down almost five years ago. So, I thought would be interesting to post the prices of things in Denmark and see how they compare to prices outside of Denmark.
I asked on my Facebook page last week, which items my blog followers were most curious about, and I’ve tried to include as many of the suggested items as possible. Because there are so many items, I’m breaking this up into a series of three posts… Groceries, Cosmetics & Beauty Items, and Liquor & Miscellaneous. Today’s post will look at Denmark grocery prices.
The average exchange rate from when I arrived in Denmark in 2010, through 2014 was 5.60 Danish Kroner to 1 US Dollar. This had a significant impact on my buying power vs. today, so I’ve added a USD Average column to show the prices based the average 2010-2014 exchange rate, which is an accurate representation of how I’ve experienced Danish prices over the past 5 years.
The price given in the USD 3/20/15 column is based on today’s exchange rate of 6.97 Danish Kroner to 1 US Dollar. The US Dollar is at a 12 year high against the Kroner right now.
You can see the impact of exchange rates by comparing these two columns, and to further put it into context, if I were to move $100,000 to Denmark today, I’d get 688,965kr. If I were to have moved that same amount over between 2010 & 2014, using the average exchange rate, I would’ve only gotten 560,000kr… a difference of $23,030 based on the average exchange rate! Can you guess when I moved my life savings?
We’ll start with grocery prices. All of my Denmark grocery prices have been taken from Føtex and SuperBrugsen, which are mid-level grocery stores, comparable to an average grocery store in the US, something between Aldi and Whole Foods.
Denmark Grocery Prices
| Item | Size | DKK Price | USD Price (Average) | USD Price (3/20/15) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond Milk | 1 liter | 24.95 | $4.45 | $3.58 |
| Apples (organic/conventional) | 6/5 | 20.00/12.00 | $3.57/$2.14 | $2.87/$1.72 |
| Avocados | 2 | 17.00 | $3.03 | $2.44 |
| Baby Greens | 100g/3.5oz | 13.00 | $2.32 | $1.86 |
| Red Bell Pepper | each | 9.00 | $1.60 | $1.29 |
| Eggs (cage free, M/L) | 10 eggs | 21.95 | $3.91 | $3.15 |
| Iceberg Lettuce | each | 10.00 | $1.78 | $1.43 |
| Pears (organic/conventional) | 4/5 | 19.00/12.00 | $3.39/$2.14 | $2.73/$1.72 |
| Sweet Potatoes | each | 10.00 | $1.78 | $1.43 |
| Plum Tomatoes | 500g/1lb. | 16.00 | $2.85 | $2.30 |
| Barilla Penne Pasta | 500g/1lb. | 18.00 | $3.21 | $2.58 |
| Heinz Ketchup | 500ml/16oz | 32.50 | $5.80 | $4.66 |
| Nutella | 350g/12oz | 35.75 | $5.80 | $5.13 |
| Quorn Filet | 312g/11oz | 39.95 | $7.13 | $5.73 |
| Snickers Bar | 75g/2.6oz | 18.95 | $3.38 | $2.72 |
| Whole Wheat Buns | 6 buns | 25.00 | $4.46 | $3.59 |
| Lipton Tea Bags | 20 bags | 20.00 | $3.57 | $2.87 |
| Coca-Cola | 1.5 liters | 19.95 | $3.56 | $2.86 |
| Bleach (generic) | 1 liter | 12.95 | $2.31 | $1.86 |
| Dish Detergent | 500ml/16oz | 8.50 | $1.51 | $1.22 |
| Glass Cleaner Spray (generic) | 750ml/25oz | 11.50 | $2.05 | $1.65 |
| Laundry Detergent (Omo - brand name) | 13 loads | 32.95 | $5.88 | $4.73 |
| Toilet Paper (generic, 3-ply) | 6 rolls | 15.95 | $2.84 | $2.29 |
| Paper Towels (generic, 2ply) | 4 rolls | 14.95 | $2.66 | $2.14 |
| Cat Food (Whiskas) | 12 packets x 100g/3.5oz | 46.95 | $8.38 | $6.73 |
| Cat Litter (EverClean) | 8kg/17lbs. | 139.95 | $24.99 | $20.07 |
Managing Our Grocery Budget in Denmark
Of course, the stores here run weekly offers… I’m a special offer shopping ninja! I run a tight household, keeping a close eye on inventory so I can replace things while they’re on offer and not at full price, after we’ve run out. I once paid $5 for a tube of Aqua Fresh toothpaste and learned a painful lesson.
I save money by stocking my tiny pantry with staples when they’re on offer, planning a loose meal plan around what’s on offer, and by shopping daily and creating meals based on what’s about to go out of date and is being sold at a deep discount. In my life, there is no such thing as brand loyalty.
Produce here is dire in variety and quality, and for the most part comes pre-packaged. Red peppers are usually available individually, but if I need a green pepper, I have to buy a 3-pack containing a red, a yellow and a green. Decent quality tomatoes are for the most part only sold in 500g packages, which is a lot of tomatoes if I’m the only one eating them. Fruit is mostly sold in multi-packs, and I’ve given up on avocados. I usually have stray fruits and vegetables languishing on the countertop or in the fridge while I try to figure out how to use them up. And I shudder to think about how much waste all of that excess packaging creates.
I shop 4-5 different grocery stores each week, in addition to an Asian grocer for tempeh, tofu, and Asian ingredients, and a Middle Eastern Bazaar for dried beans, flatbreads, and spices.
There have been a lot of memes going around recently about how wonderful it is to live in Denmark, and how lovely it is that McDonald’s employees make over $20 and hour. Putting it in context, roughly 50% of that goes to income tax, and 25% of whatever is spent goes to VAT. Denmark has the highest rate of household debt in the world, owing on average 321% of their disposable income to creditors. So, we’re not exactly raking in cash over here.
Having been out of the US for nearly 5 years, I have no idea what US prices look like these days. How do you think Denmark grocery prices compare?
When I travel outside of Denmark, everything seems so cheap, but I think the biggest differences are on cosmetics & beauty items, clothing, and prepared food. We’ll take a look at those prices in the coming days.
Elizabeth Caroline says
When I saw the title of the blog post I was prepared to see how outrageous everything was. Then as I was going down this list I was seeing that’s it’s pretty similar to prices where I live (except the kitty litter – that is outrageous!) Seeing as you pay so much in taxes – it really does make some of those items seem rather spendy.
I’m curious to know (and you may have mentioned this – or will mention in an upcoming post) what the cost for an average meal at a restaurant might be. Sometimes I feel that takeout or a restaurant meal is more cost effective for me (as 1 person) – but if you’re talking more than one person, it’s probably not.
Sage says
I’ll cover the costs of dining out in the last post… it’s most definitely not more cost effective for singles here. Going out to eat (or ordering in) is an expensive undertaking.
I once paid 40kr ($5.81) for a Coke at a pizza place, and it didn’t include a free refill. Another time, we went to an Indian restaurant and paid 30kr ($4.35) for a pitcher of tap water and another 30kr for a refill… that was with a $100+ bill. It was extortion and we won’t be going back.
Andrea says
I’ve been curious about pricing from your posts over the years. Here’s the scoop from my spot on the map… I so wish I could buy some of those items at those prices – veggies including baby greens & bell peppers. Your t.p. and paper towel prices are a bargain! The rest is pretty comparable – though I wouldn’t or don’t buy some of those items unless on sale (Pepsi), and I buy organic ketchup, though I think the regular price on Heinz is pretty comparable to yours. I don’t know about kitty goods. Like you, I stress over and complain about these food prices – maybe more than either one of us should given the comparison. Food for thought and de-stressing life. I can do better shopping at Trader Joe’s, but the nearest is 2.5 hrs away, and I practically dance and skip around the store, stocking up the couple of times a year we get there. Next time we move, proximity to a TJ’s is a requirement – no joke! Thank you for taking the time to document and share!
Sage says
The strong dollar is really skewing the prices because when I converted some of them, I was thinking, “well that’s not so bad.” But then I converted based on the old exchange rates that I’ve been dealing with most of my time here and it was a different picture.
I’ll be curious to hear what you think about the cost of cosmetics, dining out, etc.
And oh, how I miss Trader Joe’s!
P.S. I’ve added another column which lists the price based on the average exchange rate since I’ve been in Denmark, huge difference!
Willow says
Outside of the kitty litter (WTF?!), these prices seem pretty similar to what I pay in Canada. I am always dismayed when I see how cheap groceries are in the US.
Sage says
I feel the same about England! I keep telling Robert that when we finally move to England, he’s going to drop me off at Tesco’s and return in a few hours with a moving van.
Everything seems so cheap there, I think it’s because they don’t charge VAT on food, so 25% savings right off the bat. And the selection! I cannot believe how much better the variety is there vs. here.
Kirsten says
The prices for some of those items this week at H-E-B/Kroger (in Houston, Texas)
Heinz ketchup – 1.25
Nutella – 2.50 (normally 3.99)
Barilla Pasta – $1.00 (always on sale for this price, otherwise it’s $1.99)
Green, red or yellow bell peppers – $1.50 each
Lettuce Head (Iceberg) – $0.89
Lipton Tea (20 bags) – $2.00
Plum tomatoes – 0.99/lb
Snickers $0.79
Avocado (on sale) 0.99 each
Almond Milk (Almond breeze 1 litre in tetra pack) $1.50 (at Whole Foods!)
Coke 1 L 0.89 to $1.25
Having lived in Canada for most of my life and NYC for 3 years, I’m almost amazed at how cheap prices are in Houston. Also, sales tax is 8.75% and there is no state income tax either. Regardless, I can’t wait to move to Europe. Money isn’t everything. :)
Sage says
Wow… thanks for taking the time to post. Those are great prices! I want to go shopping in Houston : -)
Christy Maurer says
I think it definitely depends on where you are buying in the US AND in Denmark because some stores are way more high end…I don’t shop there lol. My daughter and I always joke about moving to Denmark because, duh, who wouldn’t want to live in the happiest place in the world! You are blessed to be living your dream :) Thanks for sharing the prices there. It would take a lot of getting used to, I’m sure.
Sage says
Definitely! That’s why I picked a mid-range store vs. something on the extremely high or low end. In the US, it was possible to do most of my shopping from places like Aldi, but the discount grocers here have a very limited inventory, and the quality is sketchy at best.
Don’t book your plane ticket just yet… it’s not exactly Disney World over here, but I found the perfect husband, so it’s been worth the trouble ;-)
Zeta says
I’ve been in Denmark two years now.
I’ve actually found that I don’t send more on groceries here than I did in the US, and I think I eat a lot better/nicer since I’ve been here. I feel like fruits and vegetables are comparable in price to the US (but I do usually buy on sale, when I can). The things that are a lot more expensive are the less necessary things (soda, candy, processed foods) which I think is fair enough, as it only encourages healthier eating ;) Like you said, I aaaalways look through the ads, write a list of everything in each store that’s on sale and interesting, then make a meal plan with that in mind, and a detailed shopping list. I also know which store has which staple for the least amount of money, and shop accordingly. So we’re eating better, wasitng less, and spending less, win, win, win!
Sage says
It definitely depends on what you buy. The prices and limited variety have certainly pushed me to develop my kitchen skills, I’m a much better and more versatile cook than I’d have been if I’d stayed in the States. Now I can walk into a grocery store and create meals of the fly based on what’s been discounted vs. needing to cook from a recipe.
I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 15 and a mostly healthy eater since I lost 40lbs. in my 20s and maintained it, so I can’t credit Denmark with cleaning up my diet. I’ve actually found it more difficult to eat healthfully in Denmark, mostly due to the limited availability of so many things during my 4 years in Jutland. It’s a lot better in Aarhus.
I’m glad it’s turned out to be a win, win, win for you.