Moving to Sweden from France
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from France to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from France to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 7.3% cheaper than France overall. A €67,000 salary in France would need to be roughly SEK696,000 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from France to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → SEK696,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 15.9% less
Groceries
pay 2.3% less
Transportation
pay 2.5% more
Housing
pay 1.4% less
Childcare
pay 68.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.0% 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 12% less than cities in France.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from France to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How France 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
Sweden generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
France 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 France 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 France 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
France 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 France across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (2016), Skatteverket (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Paris | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Paris | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Météo-France,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between France 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.
France passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting France
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 France?
Generally yes: Sweden runs about 7% cheaper than France 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 €67,000 comparable salary, that's around SEK174,000 in Sweden for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
With 40.6 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 France and Sweden.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in France. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to France?
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 32.8 in France. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to France?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In France, the official language is French.
