Moving to Sweden from Ireland

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Ireland to Sweden — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Ireland to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 25.1% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €67,000 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly SEK559,000 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.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Sweden cheaper than Ireland?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 18.5% less

Groceries

pay 3.6% more

Transportation

pay 15.2% less

Housing

pay 43.9% less

Childcare

pay 61.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Sweden?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → SEK559,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden

Calculate with your salary →

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 19% less than cities in Ireland.

Ireland

Cork 69%
Carlow 66%
Athlone 65%
Drogheda 64%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Ireland to Sweden, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
361 ↑ 14% vs 2022

people moved from Ireland to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Sweden?

Top countries of origin for Sweden's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ireland to Sweden.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IE
0.7
SE
1.1
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IE
75%
SE
73%

Ireland generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IE
$8,772
SE
$7,770
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IE
38.8
SE
44.1

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IE
13.0
SE
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
SE
3.6t

Sweden performs significantly better than Ireland across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IE
32.3
SE
40.6
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
8.1%
SE
3.6%

Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IE
4.6%
SE
8.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$131,592
SE
$63,133

Ireland performs better than Sweden across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IE
83.0 yrs
SE
84.1 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.4
SE
2.0

Sweden performs significantly better than Ireland across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016), Skatteverket (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Sweden vs Ireland

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dublin Rain: 29.8 in/yr (758 mm)
56° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin Stockholm
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 69°/56°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 43°/36°F (6°/2°C)
View all months
Month Dublin Stockholm
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C)

Data: Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Can you move from Ireland to Sweden?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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.

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Free
Ireland passport holders can enter Sweden without a visa.
Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Sweden passport holders can enter Ireland without a visa.

Data: 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 Ireland?

Yes — Sweden is on average about 25% cheaper than Ireland. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Sweden?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SEK139,750 in Sweden on a €67,000 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 40.6 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?

Ireland 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 0.7 in Ireland. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Ireland?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate. There are 44.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 38.8 in Ireland. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Ireland?

The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in Sweden?

The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

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At a Glance

IE SE
Population 5,484,367 10,596,620
Currency Euro (€) Swedish Krona (SEK)
Languages English, Irish Swedish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +353 +46
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112