Moving to Sweden from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Arab Emirates to Sweden — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 31.4% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly SEK641,830 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 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Arab Emirates to Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,486 → SEK641,830
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.5 times more
Groceries
pay 68.3% more
Transportation
pay 93.4% more
Housing
pay 36.4% less
Childcare
pay 59.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.7% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Sweden
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Arab Emirates to Sweden, based on official data.
people moved from United Arab Emirates to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Sweden.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 United Arab Emirates 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
Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though United Arab Emirates leads in electricity per capita.
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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Sweden across all employment & economy metrics.
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 United Arab Emirates across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Abu Dhabi | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
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 United Arab Emirates?
Yes — Sweden is on average about 7% cheaper than United Arab Emirates. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SEK160,458 in Sweden on a AED275,486 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Sweden has 40.4 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 Sweden safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
