Internationals get Copenhagen cheap living tips

Life Sciences students from throughout the world found out how to get value for money in Denmark

by Luci Ellis

Let’s face it, Copenhagen is not a cheap place to live.

Around 50 new international full-degree Masters’ students gathered Friday as part of their introductory programme to the University of Copenhagen. Today's lesson was in cheap living.

Tricks and insider tips were presented by Danish student assistant Anne Fledelius, based on how she herself gets by on a tiny budget.

See pictures from the course here.

Kiosks are a rip-off

And the essentials were the first thing on the agenda: Food shopping, a bike, and water-proof clothes!

»Don’t buy anything in a kiosk, unless it is a Sunday and nothing else is open. The prices are too high!« says Anne.

Instead, she recommends buying the basics in Netto or ‘ethnic shops’ like near the square Halmtorvet in Vesterbro and near Nørrebro station.

Supermarket survival

For a rain jacket, Anne pointed the international students in the direction of the bigger supermarkets Bilka or Føtex.

After just two weeks in Denmark, the students have already learned the two most important phrases for supermarket survival in Denmark:

»På beløbet«. (meaning 'the exact amount', when paying by card, and pronounced something like 'Por-be-lurb-urt')

»En pose, tak« (one carrier bag, please)

Pricey second-hand shops

She warned the new arrivals against second-hand clothes shops in the city centre.

»They are really expensive. It is really fashionable to shop second-hand here in Copenhagen.« she explains.

»If you want the good bargains you have to go at least 20 minutes outside the city.«

»Gratis« is good

The presentation also covered topics such as cinemas, the university sport club and cheap night spots in Copenhagen.

But a number of the students seemed to have found their own way around already.

As one of the students herself summed it up, »There are just some Danish words you need to know. ‘Gratis’ is one of them. It means ‘free’!«

luci@adm.ku.dk

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