Last Updated: February 9, 2023
Denmark Vs. Netherlands [Similar but very different]
Denmark and the Netherlands are very close neighbors in the north of Europe. These two countries are relatively similar in some ways, but there are also a lot of significant differences.
Both the culture and language in the two countries are quite different, despite the fact they both love riding bicycles! But we need to dive a little deeper than that.
Let’s take a look at Denmark vs the Netherlands to see the differences between them so you can choose which one is best to visit or even move to.
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About The Countries
Before we dive into the details about Denmark vs Netherlands, let’s first take a look at the bigger picture so you can get a general idea of the two countries before then reading on. I always find a general take on a place can be very eye-opening and give you a sense of the vibe before you start looking at things more closely.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country that sits below Finland, Norway, and Sweden. It shares its borders with both Sweden to the east and Germany to the south, both of which are just a train ride or car ride away.
Denmark is made up of numerous islands and the Jutland Peninsula with a total land area of 42,933 sq km and if you include Greenland (which Denmark owns) the entire Danish Kingdom is 2,220,930 sq km. It’s covered in beautiful lakes, forests, and has a stunning coastline which the Danes love to be a part of.
The population in Denmark is kind of small at just 5.8 million people and their national language is Danish but they also speak English, French, German, Norwegian, and Swedish well and they enjoy using their extra languages.
Danish is not an easy language to learn, it’s almost unrecognizable if you have never spoken a Scandinavian language before, so if you want to learn it, be warned, it’s not easy.
The currency in Denmark is the Danish Krone and it’s also a part of the European Union. Copenhagen is the capital and it’s also home to a lot more large cities that are full of great sights and things to do.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands isn’t quite in Scandinavia, it’s a full country to the southwest of Denmark, with Germany separating it from the Danish border. The Netherlands shares its borders with both Germany and Belgium and you can get to these two countries by train or car with ease.
The Netherlands is made of generally very flat land with barely any hills and certainly no mountains whatsoever. The iconic picture of the Netherlands involves canals, windmills, and fields of flowers isn’t wrong. It covers a land area of around 41,543 sq km and has a population of 17.2 million people.
The national language in the Netherlands is Dutch and the Dutch love to speak Dutch, even though they do know English, French, and German well. So if you’re planning to move to the Netherlands you’re going to need to learn the language if you want to get along with the locals.
Dutch sounds, to my ears anyway, like a merger of French and German, rolled into one. It’s quite odd when you hear it for the first time and it’s not an easy language to learn.
In the Netherlands, the currency is the Euro, and thus they are a part of the European Union. Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands and there are also some other great cities to explore including places like Rotterdam.
Verdict
There are three main differences to note here in regard to Denmark vs Netherlands. Denmark is far more interesting from a geographical landscape point of view. You have islands, amazing coastlines, lakes, mountains, and more while the Netherlands is pretty much flat with a blade coastline.
From a size perspective, Denmark and the Netherlands are almost equal but there is a huge difference when it comes to population size. With just 5.8 million people, Denmark has a third of the population of the Netherlands with the same amount of land area, making the Netherlands three times as crowded.
When it comes to languages, both Danish and Dutch are not super to learn but the main difference is that the Danish is far harder to pronounce. Dutch is actually quite similar to German and Nordic languages, but from what a friend tells me who lived there, Danish is very hard to speak correctly, so most Danes ended up just speaking English to him.
The Weather
The weather is a key consideration when visiting or moving to a new place, after all, if one place is warmer and sunnier, you’re more likely to choose it than a place that is consistently wet and cold.
When it comes to Denmark vs the Netherlands and the weather, they are rather similar in some ways and different in others, and it all comes down to their geographical locations.
Denmark
Denmark is 4 degrees north of the Netherlands and thus experiences quite different weather at certain times of the year when compared to the Netherlands, mainly in winter.
During winter, Denmark has an average low of -1 °C and a high of around 5°C but this is just the average. Being so close to Scandinavia, Denmark can experience some intense cold during winter and is often snow-covered when the colder climates push down a bit. It can also experience some intense winter storms with high winds. I quite enjoy a proper winter, it’s better than a wet one in my eyes.
During the summer, Denmark has an average low of 12 °C and a high of around 22°C. The summers are warm and lovely, and they can hit the low 30s when a heatwave comes through. This is awesome in Denmark as there is so much seaside to hang out on including white sand beaches and crystal blue seas.
From a rainfall perspective, one of the most important perspectives in my eyes as going out in the rain isn’t so great. On average it rains a maximum of 10 days a month or a minimum of 6 days a month in Denmark depending on where you are, which is pretty good.
Overall, the weather is less predictable in Denmark as it’s open to whatever the North Sea wants to throw at it.
The Netherlands
The weather in the Netherlands is boringly predictable which might be just what you’re looking for but it’s not for me. Being 4 degrees further south than Denmark it’s a bit warmer but not too much.
During winter, the Netherlands has an average low of 1°C and a high of close to 7°C. This is an average and it can drop below zero, but generally, the weather in the Netherlands stays near the average. Snow isn’t common in the Netherlands, partly because it’s so flat and partly because it doesn’t get very cold weather. The winters are generally very wet and with grey skies.
During the summer, the Netherlands warms up a lot with an average low of 11°C and a high of around 22°C. The summers are great and lovely for riding your bikes around the flat paths, past the flower fields, and along the canals. There is also a large coastline that is worth exploring although it’s more rocky beaches than white sand ones, there are still some stunning sand beaches. like the ones near to the Belgian border.
When it comes to rainfall, the Netherlands is very wet almost all year round. On average the Netherlands has a maximum of 14 days of rain per month, and a minimum of 9 days per month with an average of around 11 days. This means the Netherlands is a pretty wet place so be sure to pack a rain jacket.
Overall the weather in the Netherlands is very predictable, expect dull grey clouds and rain most days and be happy when it’s surprisingly not cloudy.
Verdict
When it comes to the weather and Denmark vs Netherlands, Denmark wins hands down in my opinion. I would hate to live in a consistently wet and cloudy country and would much rather the unpredictability of Denmark with snow, storms, and less rainfall but with the same average temperatures.
If you like predictability though, then the Netherlands will be a good fit for you. You can probably get away with 2 layers in winter, just make sure your rain jacket is very waterproof.
The Landscapes & Outdoor Activities
If you’re going to Denmark or the Netherlands, you can’t spend all your time in the cities, you’re going to want to get into nature and do some fun things in it. After all, spending time in nature is good for the mind and body, so it’s an important consideration as far as most are concerned.
Denmark
The landscapes in Denmark are stunning in my opinion. The country is very green and you have everything from islands and tall dramatic coastal cliffs, white sand beaches to lakes, rivers, and mountains as well as flat parkland.
With around 8,750 km of coastline and stunning islands, there is a neverending seascape to explore in Denmark which is very popular with sailors, fishermen, and even surfers (especially in the north). The lake and river systems along with the fjord-like peninsulas are also stunning to explore.
Denmark has 5 national parks, excluding those in Greeland which include both seascapes, lakes, islands, and inland forests too. You’ll even find some rare species around Denmark too.
In terms of outdoor activities, you can surf, kitesurf, sail, hike, mountain bike, go rock climbing, enjoy fly fishing, fishing, and more. If you like to get into the outdoors be active, Denmark is a good place to go.
The Netherlands
I find the landscapes in the Netherlands a little boring as it’s very flat as far as you can see, it’s so flat that they are extremely concerned about rising sea levels wiping out half their country. This means no mountains or even hills in the Netherlands.
The majority of the Netherlands is parkland, basically fields and forests. It also has a solid coastline that stretches around 1000 km with white sand beaches and pretty sand dunes that sit behind them. The seas off the coast of the Netherlands are great for kite surfing and sailing, and these are both popular sports in the country.
The Netherlands has 20 national parks and between them all, you’ll find mazes of rivers, lakes, streams, and brooks along with forests, hills, and species like deer, hogs, and loads of migratory birdlife. The flooded coastline is an ideal resting place for birds that are migrating north to south during the changing seasons.
In terms of outdoor activities, you can kitesurf, sail, hike, mountain bike, go rock climbing, enjoy fly fishing, fishing, and more. If you like to get into the outdoors be active, the Netherlands isn’t a bad place to go.
Verdict
When it comes to outdoor activities and landscapes, I personally think that Denmark wins over the Netherlands. Denmark’s coastline is 8 times bigger than the Netherlands’, it has a far larger range of different landscapes as it actually has some mountains and hills, and I think it would generally be a lot more fun to see.
When you start adding the islands and the semi-fjords, Denmark has the Netherlands beat hands down in my eyes.
But, if you like long-distance cycling on flat land, then the Netherlands might be your best bet as you can ride for days with the horizon in front of you without barely going up a hill.
How much do they both cost?
Another major factor to consider when visiting or moving to a new country is how much it costs. Everyone wants their hard-earned money to stretch as far as it can. Imagine if one place was 30% cheaper than the other, and you save that on your travel budget or on your yearly income. So, let’s run the numbers when it comes to Denmark vs Netherlands and their general living costs.
Restaurants
When you go out for lunch or dinner in Denmark you should expect to pay on average around $20 per person for a meal with a soft drink. In the Netherlands, you would expect to pay around $19.
When you take into account fast food or street vendors, then the savings in the Netherlands increase even more. On average, meals and drinks out cost around 16% more in Denmark.
Groceries
Groceries are a major cost of living and in the Netherlands, you’re going to spend around $2 on a loaf of bread or $3 in Denmark. Whereas cheese in Denmark is $6 and in the Netherlands, it’s $6.40, so which is cheaper? Overall, the Netherlands is around 25% more affordable than Denmark when it comes to groceries.
Transport Costs
Overall, public transport in Denmark costs around $79 a month for a monthly pass while in the Netherlands it costs around $120, making Denmark over 50% more affordable than the Netherlands. Petrol is also around 13% more affordable in Denmark but buying a car is 30% more expensive and a taxi ride is about 2.5% more than in the Netherlands.
Housing & Childcare
The housing and childcare costs are far more in the Netherlands than in Denmark. You’ll be spending around 25-40% more for an apartment in the Netherlands than in Denmark, and about 286% more on child care.
Verdict
If you’re planning on moving to Denmark or the Netherlands to live then Denmark is by far the more affordable option as its public transport, housing, and childcare costs are so much lower than the Netherlands.
If you’re planning on going for a vacation, you’ll spend less in the Netherlands going out to restaurants and having a good time.
Overall, the Netherlands is 16% more expensive than Denmark with all things considered.
The Capital Cities
A good way to make a call on which country to visit or live in when it comes to Denmark vs Netherlands, is to make a comparison between their capital cities, so Amsterdam vs Copenhagen. We have a more detailed comparison here if you’d like to read it or there is a summary below.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is a city on the sea and within minutes of where you’re staying you can be on white sands have a cold morning swim or sit in one of the many saunas that line its shores. Everyone gets around on bikes, the public transport is great, and there are tonnes of great restaurants, fantastic museums, and more to explore while you’re there.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam, like Copenhagen, is ruled by bicycles but it’s a lot bigger than Copenhagen so it also comes with trams and the underground. Culturally there is a bit more going on with all the museums in Amsterdam and the nightlife is generally a lot better than in Copenhagen. You also have lovely flower markets, stunning canals, and great museums, art galleries, and more to explore.
Denmark vs Netherlands – The Verdict
Denmark is far less populated and more spacious than the Netherlands with the same land area and a third of the population. The landscapes are more interesting with hills, mountains, dramatic coastlines and more, plus it’s more affordable than the Netherlands. I would pick Denmark every time but that’s because I love to live outside.
If you prefer city life, then the Netherlands might suit you better, especially Amsterdam as there is a lot more going and the nightlife is a lot better.
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
