Moving to Sweden from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Sweden — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 22.9% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly SEK570,000 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Sweden cheaper than United Kingdom?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 14.7% less
Groceries
pay 19.0% more
Transportation
pay 14.7% less
Housing
pay 38.1% less
Childcare
pay 82.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Sweden?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → SEK570,000
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 26% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Sweden
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Kingdom to Sweden, based on official data.
people moved from United Kingdom to Sweden · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Sweden.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Kingdom 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 Kingdom 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), Skatteverket (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Sweden vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Met Office,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Can you move from United Kingdom to Sweden?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Kingdom?
Yes — Sweden is on average about 23% cheaper than United Kingdom. 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 SEK142,500 in Sweden on a £56,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Sweden has 40.6 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 Kingdom 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 1.1 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 60°F in London. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
