Moving to Sweden from Macedonia

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Macedonia to Sweden? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Macedonia to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 2.0 times more expensive than Macedonia overall. A MKD4,100,000 salary in Macedonia would need to be roughly SEK1,520,000 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 65°F in Skopje, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Sweden cheaper than Macedonia?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 96.2% more

Groceries

pay 2.0 times more

Transportation

pay 55.3% more

Housing

pay 2.7 times more

Childcare

pay 1.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MKD = 0.1808 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?

MKD4,100,000 → SEK1,520,000

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 33% more than cities in Macedonia.

Macedonia

Kumanovo 38%
Tetovo 37%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Macedonia to Sweden.

Moved in 2023
403 ↓ 8% vs 2022

people moved from Macedonia 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

The numbers behind daily life in Sweden compared to Macedonia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MK
1.5
SE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MK
5.7
SE
2.1

Sweden performs significantly better than Macedonia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

MK
$1,808
SE
$7,770
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MK
29.4
SE
44.1

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MK
62.0
SE
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MK
4.0t
SE
3.6t

Sweden performs significantly better than Macedonia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MK
29.9
SE
40.6
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MK
52.5%
SE
3.6%

Sweden performs significantly better than Macedonia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MK
12.3%
SE
8.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MK
$10,490
SE
$63,133

Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Macedonia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MK
76.6 yrs
SE
84.1 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MK
2.5
SE
2.0

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

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

Weather in Sweden vs Macedonia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Skopje Rain: 19.8 in/yr (504 mm)
65° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Skopje Stockholm
Jan–Mar 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C) 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) 69°/56°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/35°F (12°/2°C) 43°/36°F (6°/2°C)
View all months
Month Skopje Stockholm
Jan 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C) 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C)
Feb 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C) 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C)
Apr 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C) 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C)
May 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C) 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C)
Jun 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C)
Jul 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C) 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C)
Aug 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C) 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C)
Sep 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C) 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C) 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C)
Nov 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C)
Dec 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C) 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C)

Data: HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Can you move from Macedonia to Sweden?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Macedonia 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.

Macedonia passport

Macedonia passport holder visiting Sweden

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

Sweden passport holder visiting Macedonia

Visa Free
Sweden passport holders can enter Macedonia 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 Macedonia?

On average Sweden is around 105% pricier than Macedonia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Sweden?

Budget about SEK380,000 for 3 months in Sweden (based on a MKD4,100,000 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: 40.6 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 performs significantly better than Macedonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Macedonia.

How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Macedonia?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 29.4 in Macedonia. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Macedonia: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 65°F in Skopje. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Skopje gets 19.8 in.

What language do they speak in Sweden?

The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Macedonia, the official language is Macedonian.

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At a Glance

MK SE
Population 1,820,909 10,596,620
Currency Macedonian Denar (MKD) Swedish Krona (SEK)
Languages Macedonian Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +389 +46
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112