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LIVING & WORKING IN SWEDEN

Sweden combines professionalism and friendly working environment, a good balance between work and personal life, stable salaries, and a great free education for your children. Learn more about living in Sweden here.

living and working in sweden
ABOUT SWEDEN
Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe with 10 million people. It is a member of the European Union but has its own currency, the krona, or Swedish crown.
  • Family friendly: It is a great place for families – it has 16 months of parental leave and free day care services
  • Innovative: The European Commission’s European Innovation Scoreboard 2016 places Sweden as one of the world’s most innovative nations, and it has been called the most digitally connected economy. Sweden leads in human resources – the availability of a high-skilled and educated workforce – and quality of academic research
  • Low Corruption: There is a low level of corruption and Sweden ranks 4th in Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, which measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 186 countries
  • Low Gender Gap: Sweden is placed 4th on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2016, having closed more than 81% of its overall gender gap
  • Great place to grow old: It is a great place to grow old as Sweden ranks third overall in the Global AgeWatch Index 2015, which measures the quality of life for older people. Sweden also ranks high on the income security domain with 100% pension income coverage and an old age poverty rate that is 3% below the regional average

Sweden invests in green working and living, has favourable economic growth, is a safe country, has a transparent media landscape, and last, but by no means least – it’s a beautiful country.

Cost of living
FOOD
  • A meal at an inexpensive restaurant: 9.91€
  • A three-course meal for two at a mid-ranged restaurant: 53.08€
  • 1 liter of milk: 0.93€
  • Fresh white bread: 2.18€
  • 1kg of chicken breasts: 8.77€
  • 1kg of oranges: 2.07€
  • 1kg of potatoes: 0.79€
TRANSPORT
  • A monthly pass for the local transport system: 70.71€
  • 1 km with a taxi with a normal fare: 1.47€
  • 1 liter of gasoline: 1.55€
UTILITIES
  • Monthly utilities: 122.65€
  • 1 minute of pre-paid mobile rate: 0.09€
  • Internet access (6Mbps, Flat Rate, Cable/ADSL): 23.54€
LEISURE
  • The monthly fee for an adult at a fitness center: 36.47€
  • 1 hour tennis court rent in the weekend: 19.44€
  • 1 seat in the cinema for an international release: 11.88€
RENT
  • The rent for a 1 bedroom apartment ranges from 420 to 620€
  • The rent for a 3 bedroom apartment: 750 – 1000€
(This does not mean that you can’t find a cheaper apartment!)
TAXATION IN SWEDEN

Residence & taxation

Generally, an individual is considered a resident of Sweden for purposes of Swedish individual income taxation if they have a real home in Sweden. Тhe Swedish Tax Agency considers residents:
  • an individual who regularly stays overnight in Sweden in a consecutive six‐month period should be considered resident in Sweden.
  • a person that has previously been living in Sweden and keeps essential ties to Sweden, such as e.g. a house, family members, business and/or substantial investments after moving from Sweden is also considered a tax resident of Sweden.
Generally, the burden of proof is on the individual to substantiate their non-resident status for the next five years following departure.

Income & taxation

Swedish tax residents are liable for income tax on their employment income regardless of where it derives from. The cash principle applies which means that income is generally taxable upon receipt. Generally, all earnings, including benefits in kind, from an employer to an employee are reportable and taxable as income from employment. Taxable income is for example: salary, bonus payments, allowances, stock options and housing benefits. The tax rates range from 31% and up to approximately 56‐58% (depending on municipality).
VAT of 25% is added to many things bought by private citizens, with the exception of food (12% VAT), transportation, & books (6% VAT).
Have a look at our available job opportunities in Sweden, learn about the working conditions and how MediCarrera can assist you on your path to a career in Swedish public healthcare.