{"id":9571,"date":"2021-06-14T13:19:01","date_gmt":"2021-06-14T12:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/?p=9571"},"modified":"2025-12-11T13:57:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T13:57:29","slug":"cost-of-living-in-sweden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/","title":{"rendered":"Cost of Living in Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"770\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/living-costs-sweden.jpg\" alt=\"Expenses of living in Sweden\" class=\"wp-image-9637\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/living-costs-sweden.jpg 770w, https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/living-costs-sweden-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/living-costs-sweden-768x449.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image source: Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sweden, renowned for its high quality of life, is often perceived as an expensive place to live. When considering the cost of living in Sweden, it&#8217;s important to compare key expenses like housing, food, and transportation with those in other countries, such as the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article explores whether Sweden&#8217;s cost of living is indeed higher than that of the UK, providing insights into how the two countries stack up in terms of daily expenses and overall affordability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69ff6b2322487\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69ff6b2322487\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#How_expensive_is_Sweden\" >How expensive is Sweden?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#Can_foreigners_open_a_bank_account_in_Sweden\" >Can foreigners open a bank account in Sweden?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#Accommodation_costs_in_Sweden\" >Accommodation costs in Sweden<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#Cost_of_utility_bills\" >Cost of utility bills<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#Transportation_expenses\" >Transportation expenses<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#Cost_of_necessities\" >Cost of necessities<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#Food_costs_in_Sweden\" >Food costs in Sweden<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-sweden\/#Takeaways\" >Takeaways<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_expensive_is_Sweden\"><\/span>How expensive is Sweden?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The cost of living in Sweden is relatively high compared to other European countries A family of four estimated monthly costs are 2,775.4\u00a3 (37,471.0kr) without rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are numerous reasons to move to Sweden, and if we should list a few, we&#8217;ll start with the excellent healthcare system, free university education, generous work benefits and so on. Although the country is often listed in the top 10 of the World Happiness Report, the cost of living in Sweden is pretty high, especially in the capital Stockholm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Sweden, there is no minimum wage and it is determined by collective bargaining in the given sector and industry. However, the minimum wage tends to be around 60% to 70% of the average wage by making the country way too generous to other countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_foreigners_open_a_bank_account_in_Sweden\"><\/span>Can foreigners open a bank account in Sweden?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re about to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/moving-to-sweden-from-uk\/\">move to Sweden<\/a>, having a bank account is a good idea, and as an expat, you&#8217;re legally allowed to open one. However, the requirements to open a bank account depend on whether you&#8217;re already an EU\/EEA national or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For EU\/EEA residents the needed documents can include:<\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-red-check\">\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Passport<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Resident permit<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Employment contract<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Swedish ID card<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re not an EU\/EEA citizen, then the Swedish banks will require a personnummer (personal tax number), which is the Swedish tax identification number. Without one, you\u2019ll still be able to open a bank account, but it&#8217;ll be with many restrictions, including no online banking options and no debit card. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, as a non-EU\/EEA resident, you&#8217;ll have to contact the chosen bank in advance, since non-EU\/EEA expats often have difficulties when simply going to the bank and trying to open an account. Also, sometimes, some banks require additional documentation, such as salary slips and utility bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re wondering whether you can open a bank account in Sweden before arriving in the country &#8211; unfortunately, the answer is no. Sweden is known for its strict laws when it comes to opening a bank account online, and you&#8217;ll have to be present and visit the bank in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check also:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-norway\/\">Cost of Living in Norway<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-finland\/\">Cost of Living in Finland<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/cost-of-living-in-denmark\/\">Cost of Living in Denmark<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Accommodation_costs_in_Sweden\"><\/span>Accommodation costs in Sweden<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How much is the monthly rent in Sweden? Rent in Sweden is very pricey, especially if you choose to live in big cities like Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malm\u00f6. Even if you have enough money, finding a place to rent can be challenging, and many expats wait for years in the queuing systems for rental accommodation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the high competition in the rental market, Sweden is well known for its dubious practices when it comes to long-term leases, and expats prefer to buy a house rather than look for a rental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we speak in numbers, the rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Stockholm or other big cities is 10,115.37 SEK, which is \u00a3750, while large ones can reach 15,868 SEK (\u00a31200).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that if you are renting an apartment in Sweden, water and heating bills should be included in your rent, while gas and electricity should be somewhat reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The needed documents for a rental contract in Sweden are the following:<\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-red-check\">\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>A personnummer<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Employment contract<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Sufficient income proof<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Guarantor (if your income is too low)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we\u2019ve mentioned above, finding a rental property is more challenging than buying an apartment, and on that note, the country is known for its low interest rates. There are no legal restrictions for a foreigner when it comes to buying an apartment, and the whole process should be fast and painless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, it is good to know that when buying an apartment, to secure your mortgage, you&#8217;ll need the following documents:<\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-red-check\">\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Personnummer<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Swedish ID card<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Credit history<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Employment income<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Residency permit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what are the average house prices in Sweden?<\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-red-check\">\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>Price per square meter in the city &#8211;  53,500 SEK<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"icon-check\"><\/i>The average price to buy a home in Stockholm, Sweden&#8217;s most expensive city, is around 74,900 SEK per m\u00b2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cost_of_utility_bills\"><\/span>Cost of utility bills<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A single person&#8217;s estimated monthly costs are 758.1\u00a3 (10,234.8kr) without rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll probably need to be prepared to part with about 1,162 SEK every month that will cover your electricity, heating, water supply and waste removal services. Internet service providers will charge you about 331 SEK per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Transportation_expenses\"><\/span>Transportation expenses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Transportation is also expensive in Sweden, and owning a car can be very costly. Public transport is slightly more cost-effective as children, students and senior citizens travel at discounted rates. Here is how much you can expect to pay for transportation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><th>Type of product<\/th><th>Price in SEK<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>One-way ticket (local transport)<\/td><td>36.00 SEK<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Monthly pass (regular price)<\/td><td>835.00 SEK<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Taxi rates per 1km (normal tariff)<\/td><td>20 SEK<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The price of 1l of petrol<\/td><td>19.25 SEK<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And when it comes to railway tickets, your best bet is to get a monthly pass, to travel more cost-effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cost_of_necessities\"><\/span>Cost of necessities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most interesting fact about the Swedes is that they mostly eat at home and perceive this as a social activity with friends. They still go out to eat, sometimes, but that is a bit of a luxury. For example, if you want to eat in a restaurant in Sweden, you&#8217;ll pay around 200+ SEK for a cheap meal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, if you want to pamper yourself, then the expected cost for a nice dinner with a few drinks will be around 800 SEK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Food_costs_in_Sweden\"><\/span>Food costs in Sweden<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you love cooking for yourself and your family, then we have good news &#8211; the food at supermarkets in Sweden is surprisingly cheap. According to the Institutet f\u00f6r Privatekonomi\/Swedbank, an average person in Swedish, who eats mostly at home, spends around 6,110 SEK per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><th>Product<\/th><th>Unit<\/th><th>Price in SEK<\/th><th>Price in \u00a3<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>Milk<\/td><td>1 liter<\/td><td>16 kr<\/td><td>1.19 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Eggs<\/td><td>12<\/td><td>41.16 kr<\/td><td>3.05 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Bread<\/td><td>500g<\/td><td>28.22 kr<\/td><td>2.09 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Domestic Beer<\/td><td>0.5 liter bottle<\/td><td>20.39 kr<\/td><td>1.51 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Chicken Fillets<\/td><td>1kg<\/td><td>119.46 kr<\/td><td>8.85 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Tomato<\/td><td>1kg<\/td><td>44.13 kr<\/td><td>3.27 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Potato<\/td><td>1kg<\/td><td>16.09 kr<\/td><td>1.19 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Banana<\/td><td>1kg<\/td><td>25.96 kr<\/td><td>1.92 \u00a3<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Takeaways\"><\/span>Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In conclusion, we could sum up that if you work in Sweden, then the cost of living won\u2019t seem that high, as salaries are also high. And if some costs for things match the cost that you\u2019d pay in the UK for the same stuff, other commodities are rather expensive in comparison. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you\u2019re a retiree, who is moving for good to Sweden, or a student on a fixed budget, you may consider being careful with your monthly expenditures, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"cta_container_holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"title\">Moving to Sweden soon?<br \/>Let Fantastic Removals handle the international relocation for you!<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/contact-us\/\" class=\"btn-regular btn-gfq\">Contact Us<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info_text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For questions about the services we offer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/\">visit our main site<\/a> or you can always call us at <a href=\"tel:\"><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sweden, renowned for its high quality of life, is often perceived as an expensive place to live. When considering the cost of living in Sweden, it&#8217;s important to compare key expenses like housing, food, and transportation with those in other countries, such as the UK. This article explores whether Sweden&#8217;s cost of living is indeed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":9637,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[623],"class_list":{"0":"post-9571","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-moving-abroad","8":"tag-international"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9571"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9571\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21333,"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9571\/revisions\/21333"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fantastic-removals.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}