Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and Copenhagen ($348/sqft, 7.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on talent depth and Copenhagen on rent and tax.
Amsterdam ($55/sqft, 7.2% vacancy) and Copenhagen ($348/sqft, 7.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Amsterdam on talent depth and Copenhagen on rent and tax.
| Metric | Amsterdam | Copenhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EMEA | EMEA |
| Country | Netherlands | Denmark |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $55 | $348 |
| Class A rent (local) | 50 EUR | 2400 DKK |
| Vacancy | 7.2% | 7.6% |
| Trend | rising | flat |
| Prime yield | 4.5% | 4.4% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $940 | $720 |
| Submarkets covered | 4 | 5 |
| Corporate tax | 25.8% | 22% |
| Metric | Amsterdam | Copenhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 7 yrs | 5 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 12 mos | 4 mos |
| Lease norms | Dutch leases run 5-10 years with break rights. Rent indexed to CPI annually. Servicekosten (operating expenses) billed separately. Bank guarantees of 3-6 months standard. | Net leases. 5-7 year terms with break options. Free rent of 3-6 months and TI of DKK 800-1,500/sqm typical on a 5-year deal. |
| Tax note | Headline corporate tax 25.8% (19% on first €200k). Innovation Box and participation exemption regimes are meaningful. | 22% Danish corporate income tax. R&D tax credit available. Denmark has a structural participation exemption for cross-border dividends and capital gains. Joint Danish-Swedish payroll tax considerations apply for cross-Øresund staff. |
| Metric | Amsterdam | Copenhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 86 | 85 |
| Talent note | Strong English-fluent professional talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 86. | Deep pharma, shipping, design, and clean tech talent. Strong feed from University of Copenhagen, DTU, and Copenhagen Business School. English-fluent professional base supports international corporate HQs. |
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage.
Copenhagen: Metro M1-M4 (M3 City Circle Line opened 2019), S-tog suburban rail, and bus. Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is connected via Metro M2 (~14 minutes to Nørreport). Copenhagen is highly bicycle-friendly.
Amsterdam is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
Amsterdam has the deeper talent index (86/100 vs 85/100).
Copenhagen has the lower headline corporate tax (22% vs 25.8%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Amsterdam typical term is 7 years with 12 months free; Copenhagen runs 5 years with 4 months free.
Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport is 7 minutes by direct train from Zuidas. Strong S-Bahn equivalent (Sprinter / Intercity) coverage. Copenhagen: Metro M1-M4 (M3 City Circle Line opened 2019), S-tog suburban rail, and bus. Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is connected via Metro M2 (~14 minutes to Nørreport). Copenhagen is highly bicycle-friendly.
Score Amsterdam, Copenhagen and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.