Sweden second most expensive EU country
Published: 24 Jun 12 11:12 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/41618/20120624/
Sweden is the second most expensive country in the European Union, according to a new report by the statistical office Eurostat.
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The most expensive country is neighbouring Denmark, where prices come in some 42 percent higher than the EU average.
The cheapest shopping in the EU is in Bulgaria where a visit to a store will cost around half as much as the union average, according to Eurostat's price index.
Sweden comes out top with regard to prices for clothes, shoes and transport services, coming in between 30 and 40 percent above the average.
Sweden is also among the most expensive when it comes to alcohol and tobacco prices, coming in at 147 percent of the EU average.
Ireland however tops the list in this category, at 163 percent of the union average, while Hungary is the cheapest with 63 percent. The wild variations are mostly to do with the relative levels of taxation.
Sweden furthermore has some of the most expensive restaurants and hotels in the EU, with prices at an average of 147 percent of the union average, trailing only Denmark.
Some solace is provided for Swedish consumers however, with communications services among the cheapest in the European Union.
TT/Peter Vinthagen Simpson
news@thelocal.se
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"free health care, job security, fantastic summers, and beautiful winters."
Health care isn't free, job security you can technically have almost anywhere and the summers up in Norrland aren't so fantastic if you've ever experienced the mosquitoes ;). The winters are beautiful though!
Also (and this can be applied to 90% of the comments on The Local) if you all hate it so much in Sweden, then just leave and go back to your perfect countries. Or else shut the hell up.
here in the far east working conditions are feudalistic (must obey boss or else). salary is good, taxes are low, but get me out of here. i cant wait for the more humanistic/humane working in sweden (and, compared to usa, safety, health care, etc etc) (no, i dont mind cloudy weather, in fact, i look forward to it, i write and cloudy days are best).
Safe? There is a ton of petty crime and vandalism and there are bombings, shootings, a large mafia presence in multiple areas which is unsettling when you consider how small Sweden is. On top of that, getting police or an ambulance to show up to help a victim is next to impossible a lot of the time.
Clean? Have you ever actually walked in Sweden? There's snus, cigarettes, trash, urine, cans and bottles covering the streets and sidewalks. It doesn't matter if you're in Östermalm or some tiny town out in the sticks, it's the same. Even out at the different sites in the forest, that you can only get to by boat often have a bunch of litter thrown around them. The stores, hospitals and other public areas are often nasty looking as well.
Healthy? Rampant alcoholism, binge drinking, smoking and anorexia don't seem very healthy, neither does the kiosks and pizza places on every corner.
Functioning? Really? There's too many issues to get into here lol.
Free health care? It's not free and actually costs more than almost anywhere else in the EU. It costs about the same as a person in the states with decent insurance would pay but lacks the quality of care.
Job security? Sure, if you can get a job, it's next to impossible to be fired, even if you constantly show up late, can't perform the tasks assigned to you or don't even bother coming in. Is that really a good thing though? There are a ton of people here that can't find work and because of that stay on social bidrag or "study" for years to get the benefits. Do you honestly think it's a good system?
Fantastic summers and beautiful winters I can give you, but I don't like heat and try to stay out of the sun so Sweden is pretty perfect there.
Clean, Safe, crime.... it's again better than many parts of Europe.
Rampant alcoholism - compared to where? - Vatican City?
If it's so bad in Sweden try out one of the other Euro countries for a year or two, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland... wonder how easy it is to get work and keep a decent job there for an immigrant? The grass may appear greener and lusher elsewhere, but at least Sweden has grass that grows every year still.
Ever tried to connect between say Heathrow and Kings Cross via the tube, or the express then tube? Or just the London underground, anytime between 8am and 8pm on a warm summers day?
Having travalled by train in France, Belguim, Switzerland, Austria and Spain in recent years, I wouldn't say they are any better than Sweden in any department either.
I was thinking specifically of price. Based on my experience close to Sweden I would argue that Finland is cheaper for public transportation. Not by much, though.
Well yeah, quality wise I have no complaints.
Oops, sorry skogsbo. Ignore that first sentence, that was not directed at you. My mistake. :)
so income + social tax = 30+31 = 61% !
and no body is actually forcing any of us to stay here. So either shut up and work quietly or get out if you guys feel its such a hell to work here!
Respect the place that is giving you livelihood.
Right on!
My english relatives have just returned to the UK from Sweden.It was interesting to learn from them just how many things are cheaper here than in UK.
#28 muscle
I just love your last line: "Respect the place that is giving you (your) livelihood".So interesting to see someone use the word 'respect', I thought this word had disappeared from language!,hehehehe. I also agree with all that you say.
Of course, comments boards in online newspapers, worldwide, are often a 'lightning rod' for the disaffected, disenchanted,disapppointed,or those who would like to live in a dreamed world as opposed to those who simply make the best of the reality as it is - and are thankful for a reality that allows for so much opportunities.
I haven't noticed any of the nations at the top of table going to the EU monetary fund or the IMF for financial backing or a bail out yet? ;)
There are no perfect places on earth. If Sweden had a lot more high-achieving, vibrancy/vitality-enriching immigrants from the native ethnic groups of the UK, Spain, Germany, Holland, France, Italy, France, Belgium, etc (instead of broken-culture/broken lives refugees from war and poverty horrow-show nations), if it's wage scales were similar to Luxembourg and Norway, and if its weather was like Aix en Provence, then yes, it would be as close to perfect as one could hope for in this temporal world, but none of those 3 are going to happen.
Sweden does have a lot of high achieive immigrants, as a percentage of population more immigrants start businesses than Swedes, you just need to wait for the 2nd generation immigrants to mature, who don't know of any life beyond Swedens shores.
If the state raised taxes bc everyone "has the right to" a sportscar, the Swedish state would start a waiting list for people to share broken brooms. And then there would be hoards of citizens daydreaming (and many slaving away) for 70 years, bootlicking and thanking the state and feeling smug cause everyone has a "sportscar". Calling a broom a sportscar does not make a broom a sportscar, but so many people have no clue what a real sportscar (real healthcare) is that they will vehemently defend and bully anyone who dares to point out that a broom is not even a real form of transportation.
It doesn't matter. Apathy rules. Empathy is dead. The Swedish state will continue to maim and murder. A small group of Swedes will protest, will fight, will love and try to save people. But the bulk of humans could care less. They are in love with an idea, and they love that idea more than they love living, breathing humans. No different than religious fanaticism. They all have a storyline to push, and anyone who notices a glitch in the plot is attacked by a band of screaming chimps.
And just bc other places are worse, does not mean that we in Sweden should not demand and work for real quality, or lower taxes to reflect the worth of what we're actually receiving. Otherwise, it's like a prostitute who's so thankful bc her pimp only kicks her instead of knocking out her teeth like her friend's English/Italien/whatever pimp.
We create reality, so let's create a better one.
"I never paid a penny to see the doctor in UK, and the UK has a lower tax rate than Sweden"
Unless you are unemployed then everyone in the UK pays for health care just not up front. The National Insuruance Contribution is an additional tax (separate from Income Tax) that funds the NHS. Just because you don't hand over money when you use the system doesn't mean you haven't paid for it. And for the rest of your tirade about Swedish transport you clearly never lived in the UK and certainly not in London with its constant delays, cancelled trains, busses that only run on alternate days-of-the-week-with-a-z-in-their-name.
I live in Stockholm and love it but it is expensive.. My wife only keeps about 30% of what she earns as a consultant, supermarket prices are off the planet. My wife couldn't believe when in a Tesco metro that we could by products for some times 4 times cheaper or up to 10 times when buying over the counter medicine for example.
We pay a ton of taxes, which would be okay if we actually received anything in exchange for that. The health system, education, job situation, etc. here isn't any better (and in many cases is much worse) than what you get in many other countries even though we pay so much more. On top of that the cost of many things here is outrageous, especially when you consider the poor quality and variety.
Lib's third paragraph is especially true. Most Swedes will defend the idea that Sweden is the perfect, enlightened society even though reality shows something entirely different. It honestly feels like they're brainwashed or at least in willful denial of their world.
Stating that there are problems that need fixing or that things aren't as wonderful as some are determined to believe shouldn't be considered a horrible, blasphemous thing, but it is considered just that by many on these boards and in Sweden. The punishment for this considered appropriate by many on these boards is even excommunication. Lib's reference to religious fanaticism is again, spot on. Lol, it's sick.
Healthcare, again not the best, but along way from the worst. I've used the doctors and emergency and got great service. No drama with kids at the doctor and nurse either. Dental care is't cheap, but again where is?
Jobs, it's not the state job, to give you a job. You make yourself employable in a field that needs people.
Cost, if something is poor quality, buy something else. I would love to know what people buy in shops that cost 4 times as much, or is it a case of want their home country brands or specifics when abroad. Like Brits wanting heinz beans on a the Costa where ever?
Sweden isn't top of any league, but on average I would say Transport(rail and roads), Employment, Health, Education etc.. when lumped together are better than most of Europe, they might not excel individually, but it's the sum of all factors that makes life better.
Curious where is best for employment at the moment, best for education, transport, health etc.. and what are their individual tax rates in the given countries for these services?
The costs that turned my wife pale yesterday, were for example.
Her favourite Clipper teabags, 38Kr for 40 in Coop, 4 quid for 160 in Tesco,
paracetamol, 19p for 16, again 38 kr for 20 in Sweden, similar with ibuprofen, clarity n, etc..
Couldn't believe that salad cream costed only 62p. We were only in the 5 minutes.. She commented, not me.. Had never really thought about it..
Yes, daycare is subsidised and I appreciated that, but again, if I didn't have kids?? Also, kids here in Sweden are in daycare for 5 long years!!!!
I'm happy with my healthcare but it does cost.. My migraine prescription costs me 465Kr!! Kids prescriptions are not free either...
But strangely enough I do feel better off in Sweden, but with the pound as it is now and the house price boom in Sweden, I probably wouldn't have moved here now. I got a better deal moving here when I did 11 years ago.
House prices, it just depends on where you lived before really, it's hard to compare like with like on property to the UK when building land is so expensive and the rental market is just a different kettle of fish.
I think if you are very materialistic then Sweden would be hell to many Brits, but it depends on what you value in life, if you even notice the expense of Sweden.
Some things are ridiculously expensive in Sweden. I as a consumer like to understand why? I understand that daycare is expensive and that my taxes fund the subsidies for example. But I don't understand why OTC drugs can be charged at silly prices. There is no policy around it as far as I know. They do it because they can, and 99% of the Swedish people I have spoken have absolutely no idea that they're being ripped off! Why is that?? Brits, yes, the moan more than complain about things like childcare, transport costs but at least they're aware that this can't be right...
Some Swedes are aware because my sister in law stocked up in the UK when she visited us there, prior to us moving. When we were in the UK in May, we bought 2 packs of kids calpol with us back, we weren't allowed to buy more than 2 paracetamol products though, that included the kids level stuff, not 500mg tablets!
ps. I didn't suggest you weren't happy. I just think it depends what products you pick, to decide which country is most expensive, it then needs to pitched against average salary (net and gross), disposable income, etc.. you can just look at prices as it is all relative. I know larger surveys looking globally, use some special benchmarking methods to try and standardise this, but nothing is fool proof.
The UK has a right to moan on transport, it subsidises a share holder owned rail company, that provides a shocking service.
what is it with the swedes work attitude? maybe I'll turn up maybe I wont. its hard work spoon feeding them and holding their hands.
I would have thought that such an old civilisation would have been a little more advanced. whats the attitude with getting an apartment or house or having a decent webpage for selling cars real estate etc.
apirin back home is a supermarket thing. it seems to me like the swedes go out of their way to complicate things and stuff it up. like saab. heres a perfectly good gps system. stick it in. no we will re engineer the whole thing. go millions over budget and it doesnt work. company bankrupt.
I would highly recommend swedes get to oz and see how a modern vibrant civilisation works - for half the price.
That said, I am glad that you and your family have had a positive experience regarding healthcare. It's not the case for a number of us though. But again, I'm glad that the system worked the way it is supposed to for you. I want people to be safe. There are a lot of people with hard stories though, and the system doesn't treat everyone fairly... Many people deserve a lot better than how they've been treated. It's actually quite stressful and even traumatic for many who don't get proper care. I don't think sick people have such a strong voice in Swedish society...
I have a difficulty thinking of any other commentator who is such a unwavering apologist for every Swedish institution and such a true believer.
While I believe they live and work in Sweden, my question is WHO do they work for? It seems to me to be a public relations consulting contract for the Swedish state. Or perhaps they even work for the Local itself, to offer a provocative minority viewpoint to keep these comments lively.
Healthy skepticism and the ability to see advantages as well as disadvantages is the hallmark of critical thinking. I think many people can use a does of it in Sweden.
I'm still young-ish but I've lived, worked or travelled to about 40 or 50 countries, some were and still are great, NZ, Switzerland, Canada... some were pretty grim in places, Albania, Bolivia, Tanzania.... But whilst the nice are nice, personally I've no reason not to be 100% content with Sweden.
Work the Swedish state or the local, you've got to be joking. This article wouldn't be hiding down the bottom, whilst month old articles from their contributors stayed higher up. Good idea though, internet and viral pr, I'm sure there is market for it even in Sweden.
"Materialistic" was the epithet favored by the old corruptocrats in the Iron Curtain countries for citizens complaining that they could not get consumer goods.
How "materialistic" of these running dogs of capitalism at TL to want affordable food and medicine.
Recently I had to see a doc (specialist) 350sek ($50), in order to get a prescription that cost 550 sek ($77) at Apoteket. That's a total of $125 for a med that you can be bought over-the-counter in any New York drugstore for $6 )or €4 in Paris.)
Seems to me it is Swedish medicine (or at least Apoteket AB) that is "materialistic"--if not out-and-out corrupt.
Neither captialism or communism are proven working models, they all collapse in time. So no system is fool proof, or politician proof for more than a century or two. History and the collapse of many ancient civilisations have proven this already.
It should be up to the individual to define "quality" for her/himself and their family.
Swedish policy has destroyed my life quality though, and thus affected my family and friends as well. I am a victim/survivor of rationed medicine.
The Swedish state tortures and kills sick people in order to save money and finance other social engineering projects.
The state dictates a certain life, and those that don't fulfill that role are punished, even killed. It's sick.
This is about life and death. Health, more than anything else, determines quality of life. You're talking about tvs and vacations. I'm talking about whether people live or die. I'm talking about if survivors can feed themselves or shop for their own food even...
A problem about living here is that if you are in any way critical, you will soon find yourself unpopular. It's strange that in many surveys carried out along the lines of 'are you happy where you live?' the Swedes often come out on top. Now having been able to study them at close range, it's NOT about being generally satisfied, but about not criticising. I have a fair sized circle of non-Swedish friends and the consensus of opinion among them is that the state has become the religion here. There is no vibrant living religion here (apart from Catholic and Muslim immigrants). Sweden spends millions of Euros on the upkeep of Lutheran churches around the country which are generally empty on Sunday mornings!
I don't think the Swedes themselves can stand criticising their own country, so woe betide any foreigner who does! One example: I used to be an active member of an ornithological group (nearly all Swedes) and enjoyed going out birdwatching with them. However, as soon as I began to criticise their farming methods (ultramodern) for reducing the countryside into a barren monoculture, saying for example that their fields were as barren as their carparks, people stopped phoning me and I found myself ostricised totally.
And therein lies the problem - folk here just accept whats offered and don't criticise poor practices, service and high prices