Moving to Sweden from Spain
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Spain to Sweden — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Spain to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 16.4% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly SEK761,663 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 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Spain to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → SEK761,663
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 7.6% more
Groceries
pay 32.9% more
Transportation
pay 43.4% more
Housing
pay 1.7% more
Childcare
pay 58.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 63.5% 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%).
On average, cities in Sweden cost about 4% more than cities in Spain.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Spain to Sweden, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Spain to Sweden.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain 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
Spain 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 Spain 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain leads in internet access.
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 Spain 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 Spain across all family life metrics.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, 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 | Madrid | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting Spain
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 Spain?
No — Sweden is on average about 5% more expensive than Spain. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SEK190,416 in Sweden on a €65,700 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Sweden has 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Spain 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 0.7 in Spain. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Spain?
Spain 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 44.8 in Spain. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
