Moving to Israel from Sweden
What to Expect
Considering a move from Sweden to Israel? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Sweden to Israel, you would find that Israel is 52.7% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK740,000 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly ₪353,000 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jerusalem averages 72°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 Israel cheaper than Sweden?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 63.1% more
Groceries
pay 12.2% more
Transportation
pay 34.5% more
Housing
pay 71.7% more
Childcare
pay 5.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.0% 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 Israel?
What does your salary buy?
SEK740,000 → ₪353,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Israel
Calculate with your salary →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 Israel cost about 56% more than cities in Sweden.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Sweden to Israel.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Israel compared 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
Sweden generally does better on safety, though Israel 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 Israel 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 performs better than Israel 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 performs better than Israel 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 Israel 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 performs better than Israel across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Skatteverket (2016), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2014). How we calculate this
Weather in Israel vs Sweden
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Stockholm | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
Israel Meteorological Service
Can you move from Sweden to Israel?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.
Sweden passport holder visiting Israel
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Israel 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 Israel than Sweden?
On average Israel is around 53% pricier than Sweden, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Israel?
Budget about ₪88,250 for 3 months in Israel (based on a SEK740,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Israel?
Connectivity is usually fine (Israel: 29.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Israel offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Israel safe for expats?
Sweden generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden. About 80% of people in Israel feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Israel compared to Sweden?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 44.1 in Sweden. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).
What's the weather like in Israel compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Israel?
The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
