Moving to Sweden from Netherlands
What to Expect
Considering a move from Netherlands to Sweden? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Netherlands to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 21.0% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €65,577 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly SEK573,207 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Netherlands and Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → SEK573,207
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 26.0% less
Groceries
pay 8.3% more
Transportation
pay 14.7% less
Housing
pay 37.9% less
Childcare
pay 76.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5% less
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 22% less than cities in Netherlands.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Netherlands to Sweden.
people moved from Netherlands to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Sweden compared to Netherlands.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Netherlands 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
Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Sweden leads in water stress level.
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
Netherlands performs better than Sweden across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Netherlands across all family life metrics.
Data: Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst, 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 | Amsterdam | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Amsterdam | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.
Netherlands passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting Netherlands
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 Netherlands?
On average Sweden is about 21% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Budget about SEK143,302 for 3 months in Sweden (based on a €65,577 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?
Netherlands 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 0.8 in Netherlands.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Netherlands?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Netherlands?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.
