Moving to Sweden from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 2.7 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly SEK1,436,423 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 64°F in Beijing, making it significantly cooler.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from China to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → SEK1,436,423
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 5.2 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 3.4 times more
Housing
pay 3.1 times more
Childcare
pay 66.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.0 times more
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 84% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China 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
China 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 China 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 China leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
China 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 performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, 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 | Beijing | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Required
Sweden passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: 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 China?
Day-to-day costs in Sweden run about 97% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 CN¥508,312 comparable salary, that's around SEK359,106 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 China and Sweden.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
China 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 0.5 in China. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to China?
China 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 25.2 in China. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to China?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In China, the official language is Chinese.
