Moving to Sweden from Australia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Australia to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 9.6% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$107,867 salary in Australia would need to be roughly SEK684,270 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Australia to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
A$107,867 → SEK684,270
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Groceries
pay 5.9% more
Transportation
pay 27.8% more
Housing
pay 26.2% less
Childcare
pay 79.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Sweden cost about 6% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Australia to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Australia and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Sweden performs significantly better than Australia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though Australia leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Sweden leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Sweden generally does better on family life, though Australia leads in life expectancy.
Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Canberra | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Canberra | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Sweden. To live, work, or study long-term in Sweden, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sweden's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Sweden than Australia?
Generally yes: Sweden runs about 6% cheaper than Australia on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a A$107,867 comparable salary, that's around SEK171,068 in Sweden for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
With 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sweden can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Sweden.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Australia generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Australia, the official language is English.
