Moving to Ecuador from Sweden

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Sweden to Ecuador — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Sweden to Ecuador, you would find that Ecuador is 35.8% cheaper than Sweden overall. A SEK728,567 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly $40,786 in Ecuador to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Quito averages 71°F vs 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Sweden to Ecuador.

What does your salary buy?

SEK728,567 $40,786

To maintain the same standard of living in Ecuador

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 62.3% less

Groceries

pay 48.8% less

Transportation

pay 54.0% less

Housing

pay 51.4% less

Childcare

pay 36.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 46.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SEK = 0.1029 USD (July 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Sweden to Ecuador, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
365 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in Sweden live in Ecuador · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ecuador?

Top countries of origin for Ecuador's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sweden to Ecuador.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SE
1.1
EC
27.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SE
2.1
EC
23.4

Sweden performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SE
$7,770
EC
$1,238
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
EC
23.1

Ecuador 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

SE
8.0
EC
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
EC
2.6t

Sweden generally does better on environment, though Ecuador leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SE
40.4
EC
15.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
EC
6.8%

Sweden performs better than Ecuador across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SE
7.6%
EC
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
EC
$14,300

Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Ecuador leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SE
82.7 yrs
EC
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
EC
18.1

Sweden performs better than Ecuador across all family life metrics.

Data: Skatteverket, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Quito Rain: 43.2 in/yr (1098 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Quito
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 72°/49°F (22°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 70°/49°F (21°/10°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Quito
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden and Ecuador. To live, work, or study long-term in Ecuador, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ecuador's immigration authority.

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Ecuador

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

Ecuador passport holder visiting Sweden

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

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 Ecuador than Sweden?

Yes — Ecuador is on average about 46% cheaper than Sweden. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Ecuador?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $10,196 in Ecuador on a SEK728,567 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Ecuador?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Ecuador has 15.0 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 Ecuador safe for expats?

Sweden performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ecuador is 27.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.

How is healthcare in Ecuador compared to Sweden?

Ecuador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ecuador, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Ecuador scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Quito is 71°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Quito receives around 43.2 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Ecuador?

The official language in Ecuador is Spanish. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE EC
Population 10,483,647 17,289,554
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Swedish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +46 +593
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 911