Moving to Finland from Sweden
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Sweden to Finland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Sweden to Finland, you would find that Finland is 17.1% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK728,567 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly €65,061 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle.
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 Sweden to Finland.
What does your salary buy?
SEK728,567 → €65,061
To maintain the same standard of living in Finland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.2% more
Groceries
pay 15.9% less
Transportation
pay 3.1% less
Housing
pay 11.8% less
Childcare
pay 2.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.1% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Sweden to Finland, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sweden to Finland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland 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 generally does better on environment, though Finland leads in air pollution deaths.
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 Finland leads in electricity per capita.
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
Finland 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 generally does better on family life, though Finland leads in infant mortality.
Data: Skatteverket, 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 | Stockholm | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden and Finland. To live, work, or study long-term in Finland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Finland's immigration authority.
Sweden passport holder visiting Finland
Visa Free
Finland passport holder visiting Sweden
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 Finland than Sweden?
Costs in Finland and Sweden are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Finland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €16,265 in Finland on a SEK728,567 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Finland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Finland has 34.5 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 Finland safe for expats?
Sweden generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden. About 86% of people in Finland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Finland compared to Sweden?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).
What's the weather like in Finland compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Finland?
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
