Moving to Pennsylvania from Sweden
What to Expect
Considering a move from Sweden to Pennsylvania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Sweden to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 2.0 times more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK728,567 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly $79,040 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harrisburg averages 61°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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Sweden and Pennsylvania.
What does your salary buy?
SEK728,567 → $79,040
To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 0.2% less
Groceries
pay 27.4% more
Transportation
pay 25.2% less
Housing
pay 60.8% more
Childcare
pay 7.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.6% less
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?
What the data shows about people moving from Sweden to Pennsylvania.
people moved from Sweden to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
102.40,687
Sweden
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Pennsylvania compared to Sweden.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Sweden performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Sweden across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Pennsylvania generally does better on employment & economy, though Sweden leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Sweden performs better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Stockholm | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Sweden passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 Pennsylvania than Sweden?
On average Pennsylvania is around 5% pricier than Sweden, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?
Budget about $19,760 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (based on a SEK728,567 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Pennsylvania?
From major Pennsylvania cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Sweden and Pennsylvania are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Sweden?
Sweden performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Pennsylvania?
The official language in Pennsylvania is English. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
