1658 CE

Scandinavia, historically Scandia, part of northern Europe, generally held to consist of the two countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Norway and Sweden, with the addition of Denmark.

Copenhagen

Stockholm

Swedes have a marvellous and somewhat equivocal nickname for their country: Det avlånga landet, the elongated country. It is not a phrase commonly used outside the country, but Swedes themselves love to point out the fact that their territory stretches 1600 kilometres from top to bottom.

Sweden is a parliamentary monarchy with free and fair elections and a strong multiparty system. Civil liberties and political rights are legally guaranteed and respected in practice, and the rule of law prevails.

It is illegal for a civilian in Sweden to carry a firearm, unless for a specific, legal purpose;such as hunting or attending shooting ranges. Besides hunting, another common reason for gun ownership in Sweden is collecting.

English might not be the official language in Sweden, but almost everyone in Sweden excels at speaking it. In 2017 Sweden ranked 2nd out of 80 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index ↗️ (EF EPI), which measures the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries.

The cost of living in Sweden is quite high, particularly in the capital city of Stockholm, which is by far the most expensive place in the country. As in most major cities, it’s cheaper to live in Stockholm’s suburbs than the inner city, and the standard of living is just as high.

A family of four, living in the city center of Stockholm, Sweden’s most expensive city, can comfortably live on a salary of about 23,000 SEK (2,400 USD) per month. For a single expat in the same city, a good salary would be 12,800 SEK (1,300 USD) monthly.

List of the Cons of Living in Sweden

• You will need to get used to the climate in Sweden.
• People in Sweden tend to isolate and stay in their comfort zone.
• You will quickly discover the unwritten rules of the Law of Jante in Sweden.
• Health insurance in Sweden does not cover everything.

Healthcare services, such as immunizations, cancer screenings, and maternity care, are also free and have no co-payments. All dental care for people under the age of 23 is free. When a person turns 23, they no longer qualify for free dental health care in Sweden and must pay out of pocket.

Sweden is a wonderful place to live with its kind people, excellent public services and corporate culture that encourages people to have a good work-life balance. It is no surprise that many people decide to move to Scandinavia’s largest country to enjoy all of the things that Sweden has to offer.

Despite the fact that many Swedes speak English well, it’s not considered socially acceptable to live there without learning any Swedish, and you’ll struggle to find a job or a social circle if you don’t. To get started on your Swedish language learning, you can use apps like Duolingo or Babbel.

Sweden. Only students pursuing research-based doctoral degrees get free tuition in Sweden; some programs of study even offer stipends to international students. Nevertheless, students should be aware that Sweden’s high cost of living may put them over budget, even when they pay nothing to earn their degrees.

Sweden pays students to attend secondary school. The Swedish government pays a grant of about $120 to every student in the age group 16-20 years to attend secondary school classes.

Sweden’s top personal tax rate of 57.1 percent applies to all income over 1.5 times the average national income. In comparison, the United States levies its top personal income tax rate of 43.7 percent (federal and state combined) at 9.3 times the average U.S. income (around $500,000).

Sweden Minimum Wage Rate 2021 Because Sweden does not have a minimum wage, there is no mandatory minimum rate of pay for workers in Sweden. Pay rates must be agreed upon directly with the employer through collective bargaining or other means of negotiating a fair living wage.

The average rent for an apartment in Sweden is $988, a 3% increase compared to the previous year, when the average rent was $963.

Sweden. Sweden is often touted as the poster-child for abolishing the minimum wage. However, the Nordic nation using a Nordic model is certainly no free-market free-for-all. Instead, minimum wages are set by sector or industry through collective bargaining.