Moving to South Carolina from Sweden
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Sweden to South Carolina — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Sweden to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 85.4% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK728,567 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly $79,796 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbia averages 66°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?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Sweden to South Carolina.
What does your salary buy?
SEK728,567 → $79,796
To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 8.2% more
Groceries
pay 27.4% more
Transportation
pay 33.2% less
Housing
pay 70.3% more
Childcare
pay 6.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.3% 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?
How many people actually move from Sweden to South Carolina, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sweden to South Carolina.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Sweden performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Sweden performs better than South Carolina 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
South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°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 South Carolina than Sweden?
No — South Carolina is on average about 6% more expensive than Sweden. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,949 in South Carolina on a SEK728,567 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Carolina?
Usually fine from major cities in South Carolina. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to Sweden?
Sweden performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in South Carolina?
The official language in South Carolina is English. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
