We pay £600 a month in nursery fees in Denmark – it would be £3k in the UK

Moving from London to Copenhagen in 2016 has been one of the best financial moves Daniella Bell and her husband have made. Not only did she receive a 35 per cent pay rise to do a more junior role, but they were also able to halve their rental costs, from around £2,000 a month for a one-bedroom flat in London, to £1,000 for the same in Copenhagen – except more centrally located, and overlooking a park. They no longer had to pay £200 a month each in Tube fares, as cycling to work took 10 minutes and cost nothing, beyond the initial expense of a bicycle.

Move to the Danish capital

As a result, the couple were able to buy their first home in the Danish capital just a few years later, and since having children, now aged four and 18 months respectively, they’ve benefited from cheaper nursery fees compared with those in the UK. They pay just £600 a month to have them both in full-time childcare, whereas back in London, they would be looking at paying close to £3,000 a month. Living in a culture with a high work-life balance, and a big focus on spending time outdoors, no matter the weather, has also been a welcome change from the office and pub-heavy lifestyle Ms Bell felt stuck in in London. She says arriving in Copenhagen “triggered a validation” that the problem wasn’t her – but the environment she was in – and she quickly felt at home. She’s been encouraged by the slower pace of life and a greater priority placed on spending time with family and friends. (Photo: Alexander Spatari/Getty)

'Everyone looked so healthy and happy'

The financial security also gave Ms Bell the ability to start several businesses, and she now has a rewarding career at electronics company Jabra. “When we first came here, it was just like this breath of fresh air – of new energy and a sense of contentment, which was very much in contrast from what I had been experiencing day to day. Everyone just looked so healthy and happy and was cycling everywhere, whereas in London, it felt like everyone was head down, rushing all the time. I felt like I was unhealthy and uninspired, and tired all the time,” Ms Bell, 35, recalls. “I just had this feeling of ‘this cannot be it, I can’t do this until I’m in my 60s or 70s’. I started questioning if I was building the right foundation for the future. I really had that feeling of itchy feet.” (Photo: Getty)

'In Denmark, work is merely a supportive structure'

Ms Bell adds: “I’ve always been uncomfortable with the idea that you’re put on this planet as a human being and to work until you die. I just can’t buy into that. In Denmark, society is really built around that idea of, as an individual, you and your family are the most important thing, and then work sits around that as a supportive structure to enable you to live the life you want to live and to raise the family you want to raise, not the other way around.” (Photo: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty)

Amazing long Scandinavian summer days

Ms Bell and her husband also naturally found themselves saving money because they spent less on weekend activities than they did in London, instead opting for picnics in the park, walks, and bike rides. “There is a totally different mindset in terms of how you live your life here, which meant that overall, we just had more money because we weren’t spending all of our weekends spending money,” she says. “Here, there is a really lovely culture of sitting in the park with your friends, as there’s this idea that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. You just get suited and booted, and you’re out in all weathers. Rain or shine, people are on bikes with their kids. You have these amazing, long Scandinavian summer days, where the sun is up until nearly 11pm. We are so much more in touch with nature.” (Photo: Stefan Cristian Cioata/Getty/Moment RF)

Income tax rates

It’s worth noting, however, the higher rates of income tax in Denmark compared with the UK. The highest rate of income tax is 52 per cent in Denmark compared with 45 per cent in the UK, and Ms Bell says she pays around 40 per cent. But she says she’s happy to do so for the high quality of public services and of overall living standards. “Being able to do all of those things that felt like they wouldn’t have been possible in the UK, like buying a house and starting a business in your 20s, made it so much more likely that we would stay for the length of time that we have had,” says Ms Bell. “We don’t even question whether we should or shouldn’t go back to the UK, because right now, it just doesn’t make sense. I know childcare is being further subsidised in the UK, but in terms of where we can have the best possible life as a family, regarding the cost of childcare, the quality of schools, the commutes, the amount of time we’ll have to spend with our children, Denmark just ranks top.” (Photo: Paper Boat Creative/Digital Visoin/Getty)