Moving to Hong Kong from Sweden
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sweden to Hong Kong — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Sweden to Hong Kong, you would find that Hong Kong is 52.7% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK740,000 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly HK$894,000 in Hong Kong to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Hong Kong averages 79°F vs 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Hong Kong cheaper than Sweden?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 42.3% less
Groceries
pay 29.7% more
Transportation
pay 47.0% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 4.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Hong Kong?
What does your salary buy?
SEK740,000 → HK$894,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Hong Kong
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Sweden and Hong Kong stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Hong Kong performs significantly better than Sweden across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Sweden performs better than Hong Kong across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Sweden performs better than Hong Kong across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Hong Kong leads in unemployment 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 generally does better on family life, though Hong Kong leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2016–2022), Skatteverket (2016), Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Hong Kong vs Sweden
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Stockholm | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Hong Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
Hong Kong Observatory
Can you move from Sweden to Hong Kong?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden and Hong Kong. To live, work, or study long-term in Hong Kong, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Hong Kong's immigration authority.
Sweden passport holder visiting Hong Kong
Visa Free
Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong than Sweden?
Day-to-day costs in Hong Kong run about 53% higher than Sweden on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Hong Kong?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a SEK740,000 comparable salary, that's around HK$223,500 in Hong Kong for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Hong Kong?
With 40.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Hong Kong can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sweden and Hong Kong.
Is Hong Kong safe for expats?
Hong Kong performs significantly better than Sweden across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hong Kong is 0.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.
What's the weather like in Hong Kong compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Hong Kong is 79°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Hong Kong receives around 95.7 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Hong Kong?
The official languages in Hong Kong are Chinese and English. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
