Sweden has a higher GDP per capita than the US; Sweden is more affordable for living costs; Swedes have a longer life expectancy and better
“Cooking is a major part of the Scandinavian culture and something kids are taught to do from an early age. Combined with almost-universal access to fresh produce and fish, Scandinavians generally eat healthier than most Americans,” says Christel Oerum, a diabetes advocate and Danish-expat living in Los Angeles.
Sweden ranks 29 in the Cost of Living Index 2022, below various popular study abroad destinations such as USA, Singapore, and Australia. Although the cost of living in Sweden is cheaper than in 79% of countries in Western Europe, it is almost 170% higher than in India.
The average cost of living in Sweden ($1385) is 37% less expensive than in the United States ($2213). Sweden ranked 33rd vs 5th for the United States in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.
Sweden has the best social welfare in the world. With the well-developed health care system and free education, Sweden has the best social welfare in the world.
Although more than 80 percent of people in Sweden do speak English, you might still come across people who don't, so it's best to learn some basic Swedish phrases for common niceties.
Sweden is famous for taking excellent care of its residents. Expats are sure to enjoy a good quality of life with easy access to affordable schooling and healthcare. The city is surrounded by nature and is also home to amazing infrastructure.
If this is calculated per inhabitant, taking purchasing power parity into account, then Sweden ranks 16th in the list of the richest countries. Inflation in Sweden in 2022 was around 8.37%. Within the EU, the average in the same year was 9.22 percent. In the United States, it was most recently 8.00%.
Sweden offers a unique blend of advantages and challenges for those considering relocating there. Its comprehensive social welfare system, progressive stance on LGBTQ rights, diverse culture, and environmental focus are just a few of the many reasons people are drawn to this beautiful country.
Sweden is one of a handful of countries in Europe that does not have a set minimum wage. However, do not let this dissuade you. The average salary in Sweden is around 46,000 SEK (4,700 USD) monthly. The minimum salary is around 6,400 SEK (660 USD) per month, and the maximum is 210,300 SEK (21,600 USD).
One simple factor could be that the region's high societal trust, strong welfare systems, relatively low crime and low unemployment means there are far fewer people who consider themselves unhappy.
A strong population growth in Sweden increased the pressure on a society that was fundamentally agricultural in nature, and moving to North America provided the Swedish emigrants with economic opportunity not available in the homeland.
Shared Language Family
The principal reason why our Scandinavian cousins find English easier to pick up is because English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Icelandic all belong to the same core language family – namely, Germanic (Finnish is an outlier, belonging to the Finno-Ugric language family).
Swedish people are generally polite, friendly, and well mannered. However, talking to strangers in Sweden is not something that one does. Swedes try avoiding social interactions with strangers almost at all costs meaning that moving here can feel quite isolating.
In a word, yes. You can survive in Sweden speaking only English. Living in Sweden without speaking Swedish is definitely possible. While it's always a good idea to learn at least some of the local language, most Swedes are so proficient in English that you can usually get by without speaking Swedish.
You can absolutely live in Sweden speaking English. While, of course, it's always helpful to learn some words of the local language, Swedish people are generally so good at English that you usually won't struggle to live in Sweden without speaking Swedish.
U.S citizens do not need a visa to visit Sweden if the visit is 90 days or less.
Sweden has a constitutional monarchy for their political structure. While they have a royal family, most of the power lays with the parliament (Riksdag). Instead of having a president, like in the United States, they have a prime minister, who is selected by the political parties.
Today, Swedish Americans are found throughout the United States, with Minnesota, California, and Illinois being the three states with the highest number of Swedish Americans.
One of the main reasons for China's low performance in the Quality of Life Index — 52nd out of 65 countries — is expats' dissatisfaction with health and medical care. Less than one in ten expats (9%) rate the quality of medical care as very good, compared to a global average of 26%.
Canada. Located in North America and sharing the longest binational land border of the world with the USA, Canada is undoubtedly the most desirable country in the world to immigrate to. The government is known for its welcoming attitude toward immigrants.
New Zealand is known around the world for its high quality of living and slow pace of life. What is this? New Zealanders are known for their hard work ethic, but they also value a healthy work-life balance.