Moving to Sweden from Rwanda

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Rwanda to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Rwanda to Sweden, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 80°F in Kigali, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Rwanda to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
86 ↑ 16% vs 2022

people moved from Rwanda 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

How Rwanda and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RW
3.6
SE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RW
11.6
SE
2.1

Sweden performs significantly better than Rwanda across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

RW
$177
SE
$7,770
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RW
1.2
SE
71.5

Rwanda generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RW
0.2t
SE
3.6t

Rwanda generally does better on environment, though Sweden leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RW
0.3
SE
40.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RW
20.2%
SE
3.6%

Sweden performs significantly better than Rwanda across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RW
14.9%
SE
7.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RW
$3,000
SE
$64,200

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RW
65.8 yrs
SE
82.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RW
26.4
SE
2.3

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

Data: Rwanda Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kigali Stockholm
Jan–Mar 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) 69°/56°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 43°/36°F (6°/2°C)
View all months
Month Kigali Stockholm
Jan 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C)
Feb 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C)
Mar 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C)
Apr 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C)
Jul 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C)
Aug 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C)
Sep 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C)
Oct 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C)
Dec 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C)

Data: Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Rwanda 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.

Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Required
Rwanda passport holders need a visa to enter Sweden.
Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa on Arrival
Sweden passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Rwanda.

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 Rwanda and Sweden.

Is Sweden safe for expats?

Sweden performs significantly better than Rwanda across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Rwanda.

How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Rwanda?

Rwanda 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 1.2 in Rwanda. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Rwanda: 49).

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

The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 80°F in Kigali. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kigali gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Sweden?

The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Rwanda, the official languages are English, French and Kinyarwanda.

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At a Glance

RW SE
Population 13,173,730 10,483,647
Currency Rwandan Franc (RWF) Swedish Krona (SEK)
Languages English, French, Kinyarwanda Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +250 +46
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112