Moving to Sweden from Colombia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Colombia to Sweden — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Colombia to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 2.1 times more expensive than Colombia overall. A COP247,099,766 salary in Colombia would need to be roughly SEK1,445,370 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Colombia to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
COP247,099,766 → SEK1,445,370
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 2.1 times more
Transportation
pay 87.7% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 31.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.6 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Colombia to Sweden, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Colombia to Sweden.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics.
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
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Colombia generally does better on environment, though Sweden leads in air pollution deaths.
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 performs significantly better than Colombia across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in top income tax rate.
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 Colombia across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN), 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 | Bogota | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bogota | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Colombia 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.
Colombia passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting Colombia
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 Colombia?
No — Sweden is on average about 98% more expensive than Colombia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SEK361,342 in Sweden on a COP247,099,766 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Sweden has 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden performs significantly better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 25.4 in Colombia. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Colombia?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colombia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 24.5 in Colombia. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Colombia: 80).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Colombia?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 61°F in Bogota. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bogota gets 31.5 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Colombia, the official language is Spanish.
