Moving to Sweden from Turkey
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 68.6% more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,700,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly SEK1,250,000 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 65°F in Istanbul, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Sweden cheaper than Turkey?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 78.3% more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 38.4% more
Housing
pay 93.4% more
Childcare
pay 62.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 70.4% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Sweden?
What does your salary buy?
TRY3,700,000 → SEK1,250,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →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 13% more than cities in Turkey.
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.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Sweden compared to Turkey.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Turkey generally does better on employment & economy, though Sweden leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Sweden performs significantly better than Turkey across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016), Skatteverket (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Sweden vs Turkey
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Istanbul | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Istanbul | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Turkish State Meteorological Service,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Can you move from Turkey to Sweden?
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 holder visiting Sweden
Visa Required
Sweden passport holder visiting Turkey
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 Sweden than Turkey?
On average Sweden is around 69% pricier than Turkey, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Budget about SEK312,500 for 3 months in Sweden (based on a TRY3,700,000 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: 40.6 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 3.2 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 44.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 22.4 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 65°F in Istanbul. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.
