Moving to Sweden from Malawi
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Malawi to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Malawi to Sweden, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 75°F in Lilongwe, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Malawi to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Malawi and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden performs significantly better than Malawi 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
Malawi 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
Malawi 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
share of households with internet
Sweden performs significantly better than Malawi 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
Malawi 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 Malawi across all family life metrics.
Data: Malawi Revenue Authority, 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 | Lilongwe | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lilongwe | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi 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.
Malawi passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Required
Sweden passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
With 40.4 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 Malawi and Sweden.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Malawi.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Malawi?
Malawi 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 0.5 in Malawi. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Malawi?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.
