Aarhus at a glance
- Aarhus is the cheapest of Denmark's 4 priced cities: $1,494 a month in essentials, 42% below Copenhagen at $2,589.
- The average net salary of $3,305 covers that 2.2×.
- 101.6 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at landsdel level.
- PM2.5 averages 6.3 µg/m³ a year, 1× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 4 Denmark cities we track, so every row says whether Aarhus is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,494 | $1,771 | $277 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $544 | $718 | 1.32× as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $677 | $944 | 1.39× as much |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $196 | $218 | $22 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $427 | $509 | $82 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $256 | $238 | $18 |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $71 | $74 | $2 |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $3,305 | $4,055 | $750 |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $955 | $1,262 | 1.32× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,274 | $1,640 | 1.29× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Aarhus, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $18.99 | $22.35 | $3.36 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $94.95 | $109.83 | $14.88 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $13.56 | $13.87 | $0.31 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $5.71 | $6.49 | $0.78 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $6.78 | $7.80 | $1.02 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $5.76 | $6.86 | $1.10 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $3.63 | $4.29 | $0.67 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $2.48 | $3.06 | $0.58 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.83 | $2.05 | $0.22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $3.26 | $3.75 | $0.50 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $2.40 | $2.59 | $0.19 |
| Eggs, 12 | $4.45 | $5.18 | $0.73 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $15.35 | $16.57 | $1.22 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $10.60 | $11.91 | $1.31 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $2.90 | $3.42 | $0.52 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $3.30 | $3.38 | $0.08 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $4.02 | $4.58 | $0.57 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $2.06 | $2.29 | $0.23 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.84 | $2.04 | $0.20 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $1.35 | $1.43 | $0.07 |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $3.48 | $3.59 | $0.11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $71.00 | $73.27 | $2.27 |
| Taxi start | $8.70 | $8.21 | $0.49 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $2.10 | $2.00 | $0.10 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $2.42 | $2.48 | $0.06 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $212.36 | $196.44 | $15.92 |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $43.20 | $41.24 | $1.96 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $15.03 | $14.70 | $0.33 |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $37.71 | $40.28 | $2.57 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $20.35 | $20.20 | $0.16 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Aarhus has 101.6 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (landsdel level). That is the 3rd-highest of 4 Denmark cities we track. Denmark's national figure is 103.8, so Aarhus runs 2 below the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Aarhus ranks against every city we track
Aarhus sits ahead of 96% of the 991 cities we track on salary against local costs. On local salary it is ahead of 89% of 999. Its weakest measure is cost of living, ahead of only 22% of 998.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Aarhus sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
Put Aarhus on the board
Ratio, cost and visa for Aarhus beside every other city we measure. Free, no sign-in.
Open Aarhus in the research deskOr unlock the Denmark deep-dive: visa, tax, scams, and the sub-national map.
Photo: Julius Yls, Unsplash License.
Data updated