So generous in fact that it can be inconvenient for visitors. © Scandification 2020. But is the country really worthy of the laudatory praise? Like all the Scandinavian countries, if you are living in Sweden you quickly find that this country prides itself on taking care of the health of its citizens — and its other residents as well. The biggest impact on your personal cost of living in Norway will of course be your family situation. If you lived in Sweden instead of Norway, you would: The statistics used to build this comparison are calculated using data from users just like you. Some typical comparisons in the cost of living can be drawn up as follows: Whilst the consumer prices and groceries are considerably more expensive it is the basic cost of living with rent and utilities being lower. This unique culture and people are among the most interesting, innovative, and beautiful in the world, both inside and out. The bigger picture however is not as simple as comparing the two countries directly. (500 grams), Milk If you’re moving to Sweden you’ll want to be well aware that it’s not uncommon for people to have their daily calendar planned out three or four months in advance, down to the last detail. The earliest records referring to Swedish warriors come from the Roman historian Tacitus who wrote of them as far back as 98 A.D., calling the Swedes (to him they were the “Suiones”) a fearsome and mighty tribe known not only for their “arms and men, but for their powerful fleet” as well. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close. The cost of utilities are lower in Sweden than they are in other countries in Scandinavia, such as Norway. Comparing Halmstad (a city with a university, industrial port and a population of approximately 100,000) with Dover, the cost (including rent) is 9.30% higher in Sweden meaning your £36,000 would need to be supplemented by an extra £3.3k to maintain your standard of living. As in the UK, the differences get greater depending on the region you are looking at including, whether you are looking at cities vs towns. But what do you need to know about relocating to Sweden before you take the plunge? From a casual fika to a business meeting, for Swedes, showing up early means on time, and on time means late. Also, be sure to check out our comprehensive Expat Country Guides! Furthermore, if you do a little research, you’ll find that even in the capital Stockholm, Sweden’s cost of living isn’t that outrageous — in fact, prices are generally comparable to those of major U.S. cities. If you are moving to Sweden without having secured a job already, take the time to get registered with the national employment service Arbetsformedlingen right away. If you’re thinking of starting your expat life by relocating to Sweden and you’re a non-EU citizen, be aware that there are some hoops you’ll have to jump through. Interesting facts about Norway, What is Iceland known for? The visitor’s guide to Christmas in Stockholm, Meet Jays Audio, the Swedish headphone innovators, Introducing the Rains brand: Making a splash with rainwear, The Georg Jensen brand: An introduction to Scandi style, Thule Sweden: An active lifestyle brand from Scandinavia, Meet the Libratone brand, innovators in award-winning audio, What is Norway known for? But fika is also more ritualistic than that — it also has to do with communing with others, socializing, catching up with friends and family, and really taking the time to fully embrace your connections with others. (Fun fact: the word fika is said to originate in a 19th-century Swedish slang word for coffee — from kaffi in Swedish, inverted you get fika!). Once you’re set on moving to Sweden and you’ve got an identity number, you can sign up for free Swedish classes provided by the government with Swedish for Immigrants (SFI). We provide several metrics to compare the cost of living including cost of groceries, transportation, and more. (1 kg), Onions For example, the cost of living is about 30% higher in Norway than in the United States and 25% higher than the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, the standard of living in Sweden remains high, the country is quite prosperous, jobs are plentiful, and Sweden is known as one of the safest countries in the world. From North America to Down Under, via a legion of Brits basking in the Mediterranean… there are very few major countries that don’t have a UK expat presence. Sweden ranks high on almost every measure of personal freedom that there is (in 2018 Sweden tied with Norway for the Number 1 slot on the Freedom House index). Join thousands of others and stay up to date with the our latest articles. He's spent the past four years living in Chile, Spain, France, the U.K. and Montenegro, although his love of all things Scandinavian is paramount. According to figures from 2018-2019, the average salary in Sweden is SEK509,000 or about US$65,000, so that goes a long way toward offsetting the cost of living in Sweden. While reports of Scandinavian chilliness and emotional distance are probably exaggerated, there is some truth to the idea that it’s hard to get to know people there. All Rights Reserved. Everything you need to know about travelling in Scandinavia. Norway has been declared one of the world's most expensive countries. Land area: 173,860 sq miles (450,295 sq km). However, that doesn’t let you off the hook when it comes to learning their language. Fresh air. (65 m2 apartment). University education is free to Swedish residents but, as is the case with the UK, fees of between £7,200 to £9,000 per year do apply. And that doesn’t even touch on what happens if you lose your job: labour unions are strong and the Swedish Work Environment Authority looks out for workers and has a strong hand in keeping companies from abusing their employees or firing them without cause. Official language: Swedish, but English is widely spoken. For those of us living in the English-speaking world, that most often gets translated as OMG TAXES!! They get a statutory minimum of 41 vacation days or five weeks. Sweden-based warriors and traders sailed as far away as Russia, Constantinople, and even Baghdad. 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And circling back to the workplace for a moment, Casual Friday in many offices occurs Monday through Friday, with jeans and no tie being the norm for many, unless a high-stakes meeting or other important event is on the agenda. The exodus was so vast that for a time, that up to 1 percent of the country’s population was shipping out every year. Living in Sweden: The pros and cons of living in Sweden, Kurt is a journalist who attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and wrote for area newspapers like The Denver Post for years before taking his love of travel on the road. (8 km), Utilities for two Finland: The country of thousand lakes and alcoholism. Perhaps the most logical place to start talking about the general benefits of living in Sweden is by talking about the, er, benefits of living in Sweden.