Moving to Sweden from Italy
What to Expect
Considering a move from Italy to Sweden? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Italy to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 5.1% more expensive than Italy overall. A €65,700 salary in Italy would need to be roughly SEK744,916 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 69°F in Rome, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Italy and Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → SEK744,916
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.9% more
Groceries
pay 11.1% more
Transportation
pay 22.6% more
Housing
pay 7.5% more
Childcare
pay 64.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.5% 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%).
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Italy to Sweden.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Sweden compared to Italy.
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 Italy leads in homicide rate.
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
Italy 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 Italy 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 performs significantly better than Italy 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 Italy 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 Italy across all family life metrics.
Data: Italian Revenue Agency, 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 | Rome | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Rome | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy 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.
Italy passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting Italy
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 Italy?
Sweden and Italy are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Budget about SEK186,229 for 3 months in Sweden (based on a €65,700 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
Connectivity is usually fine (Sweden: 40.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Sweden offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Italy?
Italy 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 42.5 in Italy. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Italy?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.
