Denmark or Italy
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Denmark | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | $ 53 258 |
| Citizenship | 9 years | 10 years |
| Partner can work | yes | yes |
| Parents | no | difficult |
| Pets | no trouble | no trouble |
| Pet limit | 5 | 5 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 2 458 | $ 1 920 · estimate |
| Basket | $ 50,5 | $ 47,1 |
| Life expectancy | 82.25 | 83.95 |
| Homicides/100k | 0.84 | 0.57 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 2.2 | 5 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Denmark — 86, Italy — 45. Types present in both: work, study, family, retirement, job seeking and working holiday. Denmark adds: startup, talent and repatriation. Italy adds: remote work and investment.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Denmark: fees range from 840 to 10,760 DKK. Routes with no fee: 18. Routes stating an income threshold: 12; the lowest is 7,095 DKK a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 78; the shortest is 30 days. Italy: fees range from 40 to 100 EUR. Routes with a published decision deadline: 5; the shortest is 20 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: Denmark after 8 years, Italy after 5 years. Citizenship: Denmark after 9 years, Italy after 10 years. Both allow a second citizenship. Bringing your own parents: Italy — yes, Denmark — no.
Denmark in brief
A high standard of living, safety and strong social protection, against high taxes and expensive rent. Work visas (Pay Limit, Positive List, Fast-track) are quick; the Pay Limit salary threshold is DKK 552,000 gross a year (~€74,000). Dual citizenship is allowed, but the route to citizenship is long (9 years) and requires Danish. Parent reunification is essentially not provided for.
Italy in brief
Italy is a large EU economy with a developed health system that allows dual citizenship, but with a long naturalisation period (10 years for most foreigners) and IT salaries below Northern European levels. Natural hazards are above the EU average because of seismic and volcanic activity in several regions. EU sanctions compliance complicates banking for some applicants, and since November 2025 the EU has restricted the issue of multiple-entry Schengen visas.
Other comparisons
More on each: Denmark · Italy. Build your own comparison — up to four countries
This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.