Moving to Sweden from Turkey

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Turkey to Sweden? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Turkey to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 93.2% more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,523,838 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly SEK943,912 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 64°F in Ankara, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Turkey and Sweden.

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,523,838 SEK943,912

To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.7 times more

Groceries

pay 2.5 times more

Transportation

pay 2.1 times more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 64.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.2068 SEK (July 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.

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 Sweden cost about 15% more than cities in Turkey.

Turkey

Istanbul 49%

Sweden

Vasteras 51%
Jonkoping 48%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Turkey to Sweden.

Moved in 2023
1,719 ↓ 23% vs 2022

people moved from Turkey to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Sweden?

Top countries of origin for Sweden's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Sweden compared to Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TR
2.7
SE
1.1
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

TR
61%
SE
73%

Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

TR
$1,769
SE
$7,770
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
SE
71.5

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey 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

TR
39.0
SE
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
SE
3.6t

Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey 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

TR
22.3
SE
40.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
SE
3.6%

Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
SE
7.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
SE
$64,200

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TR
76.2 yrs
SE
82.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
SE
2.3

Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all family life metrics.

Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Stockholm
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 69°/56°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 43°/36°F (6°/2°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Stockholm
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Required
Turkey passport holders need a visa to enter Sweden.
Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Sweden passport holders can enter Turkey without a visa.

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 Sweden than Turkey?

On average Sweden is around 30% pricier than Turkey, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Sweden?

Budget about SEK235,978 for 3 months in Sweden (based on a TRY3,523,838 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Sweden?

Connectivity is usually fine (Sweden: 40.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Sweden offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Sweden safe for expats?

Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 in Turkey. About 73% of people in Sweden feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Turkey?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 21.7 in Turkey. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Sweden?

The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR SE
Population 83,047,706 10,483,647
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Swedish Krona (SEK)
Languages Turkish Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +46
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112