Moving to Kuwait from Sweden

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sweden to Kuwait — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sweden to Kuwait, you would find that Kuwait is 23.4% cheaper than Sweden overall. A SEK693,101 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly KWD16,994 in Kuwait to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuwait City averages 94°F vs 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Sweden to Kuwait.

What does your salary buy?

SEK693,101 KWD16,994

To maintain the same standard of living in Kuwait

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 57.4% less

Groceries

pay 47.8% less

Transportation

pay 42.7% less

Housing

pay 26.9% less

Childcare

pay 50.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SEK = 0.0335 KWD (June 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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Key Indicator Comparison

How Sweden and Kuwait stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SE
1.1
KW
0.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SE
2.1
KW
9.2

Sweden generally does better on safety, though Kuwait leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SE
$7,770
KW
$2,567
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
KW
22.9

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SE
8.0
KW
45.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
KW
23.7t

Sweden performs better than Kuwait across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SE
40.4
KW
1.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
KW
3850.5%

Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though Kuwait leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SE
7.6%
KW
2.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
KW
$50,800

Kuwait generally does better on employment & economy, though Sweden leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SE
82.7 yrs
KW
79.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
KW
7.4

Sweden performs better than Kuwait 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

Kuwait City Rain: 4.6 in/yr (116 mm)
94° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Kuwait City
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 73°/51°F (23°/11°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 104°/76°F (40°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 114°/84°F (46°/29°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 84°/60°F (29°/15°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Kuwait City
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Meteorological Department Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Kuwait

Visa on Arrival
Sweden passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Kuwait.
Kuwait passport

Kuwait passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Required
Kuwait 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 Kuwait than Sweden?

Generally yes: Kuwait runs about 27% cheaper than Sweden on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Kuwait?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a SEK693,101 comparable salary, that's around KWD4,248 in Kuwait for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Kuwait?

With 1.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kuwait 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 Kuwait.

Is Kuwait safe for expats?

Sweden generally does better on safety, though Kuwait leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Kuwait is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.

How is healthcare in Kuwait compared to Sweden?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kuwait leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kuwait, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Kuwait scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Kuwait City is 94°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Kuwait City receives around 4.6 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Kuwait?

The official language in Kuwait is Arabic. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE KW
Population 10,483,647 3,068,155
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)
Languages Swedish Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +46 +965
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112