Moving to Sierra Leone from Sweden

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Sweden to Sierra Leone — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Sweden to Sierra Leone, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Freetown averages 86°F vs 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sweden to Sierra Leone.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SE
1.1
SL
2.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SE
2.1
SL
13.8

Sweden performs better than Sierra Leone across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SE
$7,770
SL
$159
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
SL
0.4

Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SE
8.0
SL
97.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
SL
0.2t

Sweden generally does better on environment, though Sierra Leone leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SE
40.4
SL
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
SL
0.5%

Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though Sierra Leone leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SE
7.6%
SL
3.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
SL
$1,700

Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Sierra Leone leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SE
82.7 yrs
SL
58.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
SL
73.4

Sweden generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone leads in education spending.

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

Freetown Rain: 116.0 in/yr (2946 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Freetown
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 87°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 86°/75°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Freetown
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Sierra Leone

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

Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Required
Sierra Leone 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

Can I work remotely from Sierra Leone?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Sierra Leone has 0.0 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 Sierra Leone safe for expats?

Sweden performs better than Sierra Leone across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sierra Leone is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.

How is healthcare in Sierra Leone compared to Sweden?

Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Sierra Leone, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Sierra Leone scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

What's the weather like in Sierra Leone compared to Sweden?

The average high temperature in Freetown is 86°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Freetown receives around 116.0 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Sierra Leone?

The official language in Sierra Leone is English. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE SL
Population 10,483,647 8,692,606
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL)
Languages Swedish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +46 +232
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112