Moving to Sweden from Ukraine

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ukraine to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 2.8 times more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,321,981 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly SEK1,324,599 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

UAH3,321,981 SEK1,324,599

To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.5 times more

Groceries

pay 2.6 times more

Transportation

pay 3.7 times more

Housing

pay 3.6 times more

Childcare

pay 23.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UAH = 0.2086 SEK (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
388 ↓ 54% vs 2022

people moved from Ukraine 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 Ukraine.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

UA
3.8
SE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UA
10.5
SE
2.1

Sweden performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

UA
$1,382
SE
$7,770
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

UA
29.9
SE
71.5

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine 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

UA
66.0
SE
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UA
3.1t
SE
3.6t

Ukraine generally does better on environment, though Sweden leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

UA
18.3
SE
40.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UA
12.3%
SE
3.6%

Sweden performs significantly better than Ukraine across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

UA
9.8%
SE
7.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UA
$16,200
SE
$64,200

Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Ukraine leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

UA
73.5 yrs
SE
82.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UA
7.3
SE
2.3

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

Data: Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kiev Rain: 23.8 in/yr (605 mm)
56° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kiev Stockholm
Jan–Mar 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 69°/56°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) 43°/36°F (6°/2°C)
View all months
Month Kiev Stockholm
Jan 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C)
Feb 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C)
Mar 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C)
May 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C)
Jun 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C)
Jul 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C)
Aug 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C)
Sep 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C)
Oct 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C)
Nov 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C)
Dec 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C)

Data: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ukraine 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.

Ukraine passport

Ukraine passport holder visiting Sweden

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

Sweden passport holder visiting Ukraine

Visa Free
Sweden passport holders can enter Ukraine 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 Ukraine?

On average Sweden is around 91% pricier than Ukraine, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Sweden?

Budget about SEK331,150 for 3 months in Sweden (based on a UAH3,321,981 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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 Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 in Ukraine.

How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Ukraine?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 29.9 in Ukraine. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.

What language do they speak in Sweden?

The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Ukraine, the official language is Ukrainian.

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At a Glance

UA SE
Population 43,528,136 10,483,647
Currency Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) Swedish Krona (SEK)
Languages Ukrainian Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +380 +46
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112