(edit title) Living cost in Sweden Please share Options

[Gina88]

How much do you spend on rent (mortgage), electricity, gas, food, etc?

[Elf_Moon]

6600 on the essentials, rent and food, split between two people ^^

Not including travel and silly things like nights out

Ug... I'd better get back to work *rubs eyes tiredly and hobbles away*

[ShaunD]

How much do you spend on rent (mortgage), electricity, gas, food, etc?

This is like saying how long is a piece of string ?! The cost varies so much if you are in a flat or house, in the city or in the sticks, if your property is new or old etc. etc.

Us personally, we live in the sticks in an average size detached house and with no mortgage, with everything included which is the following:
Car insurance (2 cars)
Fuel for cars (at least 4,000 sek every month plus any extra for car service and tax)
Quad bike insurance
House insurance
Pet insurance
Personal insurance
Electricity cost (unless you live in the city piped gas into your home is not available here !)
Little bank loan for the car
Extra costs (house alarm, pellets for warming the house up, tv licence etc. etc.)
All this little lot usually lands us in around 15,000sek every month excluding food, food will be around 4,000 to 5,000 sek extra.

All in all around 20,000 sek !!!

Oh yeah this is for me, the wife and our 4 year old daughter

[Programmeny]

You spend a lot.
Pet insurance? Seriously?
Quad bike insurance?
Personal insurance?
Bank loan for the car?
House alarm?

You must have a fetish for insurance.
Also, if you need to get a loan for a car, you can't afford it.
House alarm? Where do you live? Have you checked the criminality rate before getting a house alarm? Do you think it's worth getting an alarm if there has been only one or two burglaries in a year in your area? I would take my chances, because most thieves will steal with the alarm anyway, that's mostly there just for your own satisfaction.

[byke]

Simply put,
if you are moving from the UK to Sweden and expect to live to the same standard in terms of material items and luxuries like edible food (not just pasta) it costs a lot. Especially if its in a larger city.

One of the biggest "make or break" issues I have seen regarding English people in sweden and attempting to make a go if it, is getting over the lifestyle they left behind as many of the everyday things that is taken for granted in the UK is foreseen as a luxury in Sweden and the prices reflect that.

Food being one of the greatest issues in cost for many who have a pallet that yearns for more than just moldy veg and pasta. If we put food context into the light, then lets say we look at a cut of Swedish Beef tenderloin from ICA (A generic "crap" Supermaket) - usually a nice piece thats had time to hang commands prices of 795:- a kilo (about £74 a kilo) and if we look at generic chicken, usually the pre packed 2 in a pack breasts go for 120:- a kilo (£11?) which works out more expensive than the ready cooked, chicken breasts sold in M&S. Things like eating out can also command high prices for what is often deemed as bland food. The cost of say a tin of Axe/Lynx deodorant (small size) is about 49:- whereas in the uk its about 35% cheaper ... and this is usual for many products in sweden due to the increase in taxes and markets of less consumerism.

Other areas of lifestyle living in Sweden however may be cheeper.
But the make or break for many families is whether or not they are willing to conform and live to the standards of those around them. As for many that stay, they have to replace their old values to be able to survive. I doubt anyone in Sweden would be happy or willing to pay for a round of drinks for example.

Electricity has a special green tax on it, making it often twice as expensive as some of its neighbors.

So again, its really about variables and what you are willing to sacrifice, to gain in other areas.
If you really wanted a reflection on costs you would need to state where you live now and in what manner and to where in sweden you hope to move and to what manner.

[intrepidfox]

We have 20000 kr a month to live on in Göteborg.

Rent 5500
Food 6000 (max) Good home cooked food
Electricity etc 1000

That leaves us 7500 kr to do as we please.

[ShaunD]

You spend a lot.Pet insurance? Seriously?Quad bike insurance?Personal insurance?Bank loan for the car?House alarm?You must have a fetish for insurance.Also, if you need to get ... (show full quote)

You spend a lot.
Pet insurance? Seriously?
Quad bike insurance?
Personal insurance?
Bank loan for the car?
House alarm?

You must have a fetish for insurance.
Also, if you need to get a loan for a car, you can't afford it.
House alarm? Where do you live? Have you checked the criminality rate before getting a house alarm? Do you think it's worth getting an alarm if there has been only one or two burglaries in a year in your area? I would take my chances, because most thieves will steal with the alarm anyway, that's mostly there just for your own satisfaction. ... (hide full quote)

A fetish for insurance so you say ?! So, I take it that you have never taken a pet to the vets here in Sweden ? Last time our cat was in the bill was over 4,000kr (paid for by insurance), time before that with our other cat is was nearly 5,000kr (again insurance) and these werent even serious things !
Quad bike insurance, well believe it or not if you have a road registered quad bike then you HAVE to have insurance for it, say for instance it get's stolen, you really are up the creak without a paddle aren't you !!
Personal insurance is for if you are sick or unable to work then your standard of living doesn't deteriate over a long period.
House alarm, well as we are at work all day and nobody is home we do not want to take the risk, yes there have been break in's around the surrounding areas here so with an alarm that is also cctv if activated is worth it in our opinion.
What fucking bs are you talking about about not affording a car, so I take it that you think all these new (and my car isn't new) cars on the road nowadays are all paid for in full ?! in fact I paid over three quaters of my car cost in cash, I took a loan for the last bit as not to empty my savings and have some cash in reserve should it be needed.

[Gina88]

6600 on the essentials, rent and food, split between two people ^^

Thanks for sharing

This is like saying how long is a piece of string ?! The cost varies so much if you are in a flat or house, in the city or in the sticks, if your property is new or old etc. etc.

That's why I asked : How much do YOU spend.
Thanks for sharing .

Food being one of the greatest issues in cost for many who have a pallet that yearns for more than just moldy veg and pasta. If we put food context into the light, then lets s ... (show full quote)

Food being one of the greatest issues in cost for many who have a pallet that yearns for more than just moldy veg and pasta. If we put food context into the light, then lets say we look at a cut of Swedish Beef tenderloin from ICA (A generic "crap" Supermaket) - usually a nice piece thats had time to hang commands prices of 795:- a kilo (about £74 a kilo) and if we look at generic chicken, usually the pre packed 2 in a pack breasts go for 120:- a kilo (£11?) which works out more expensive than the ready cooked, chicken breasts sold in M&S. Things like eating out can also command high prices for what is often deemed as bland food. The cost of say a tin of Axe/Lynx deodorant (small size) is about 49:- whereas in the uk its about 35% cheaper ... and this is usual for many products in sweden due to the increase in taxes and markets of less consumerism.

Electricity has a special green tax on it, making it often twice as expensive as some of its neighbors. ... (hide full quote)

Just checked tesco, and yes, you can get beef at half the price (£31 a kilo), but...after moving from Sweden to the UK, we stopped buying beef, because we just could not stand the smell of the meet...and after 7 years it still does stink. So maybe the high price for the beef in Sweden reflects it's quality??

Outside London a steak costs £16 (around 160SEK). How much does a steak cost in Sweden?

I don't think that electricity is cheap in the UK (in a 1bed flat, using electricity saving light bulbs, we spend around £50 per month- 500SEK).

We have 20000 kr a month to live on in Göteborg.. Rent 5500. Food 6000 (max) Good home cooked food. Electricity etc 1000. That leaves us 7500 kr to do as we please.

Thank you.

[Darwinder]

Pet insurance in Sweden is most definately mandatory. I didnt believe it either, coming from Canada, none of my pets have ever been insured, but I have also never been charged 6000kr a night for my dog to stay at the vets when its sick. The cost of Vets here is the largest ripoff I have ever seen in my entire life, my wife and I pay 300kr a month for insurance for our dog, and thank god I listened to my wife to get it, our bills in the 3 years we have had our dog have been over 40,000kr, no joke, he is a purebreed with gastro problems so we have been to the vets far to many times. Insurance was the best money ever spent.


As for living costs, my wife and I spend about 21,000 a month not including entertainment or going out in Gothenburg, for the two of us, a 2 year old and a dog. We live in a nicer area of town, have personal insurance, dog insurance, car insurance, food for the 3 of us, satellite tv, parking, gym memberships, daycare, dog food, phones, internet. If you add in going out for dinner once and awhile, the occasional take away, taking the baby to a musuem, fikas with friends we spend about 30k a month.

Sweden like the rest of the world will allow you to live on almost any budget, it all comes down to the comfort of life you are seeking and willing to pay for.

[Yorkshireman]

So maybe the high price for the beef in Sweden reflects it's quality??

Unfortunately it does not

If You had asked prior to 1994, then that would have been Yes, since they had very strick food quality requirements. however, when Sweden joined the EU end-of 1994, a little time afterwards a certain Government Minister said upon reflection it was a mistake, He hadn't read the small print, and didn't realise that Sweden could not retain it's strict food quality controls, and block imports of poorer quality meats etc...
He went on to say that unfortunately that meant food quality in Sweden would decline. Had He investigated it closely, he would of then opposed the joining.

[Elf_Moon]

Gosh, you all spend so much on food!

I know this is a pointless contribution but I'm shocked.

[Gina88]

Unfortunately it does not If You had asked prior to 1994, then that would have been Yes, since they had very strick food quality requirements. however, when Sweden joined the ... (show full quote)

Unfortunately it does not

If You had asked prior to 1994, then that would have been Yes, since they had very strick food quality requirements. however, when Sweden joined the EU end-of 1994, a little time afterwards a certain Government Minister said upon reflection it was a mistake, He hadn't read the small print, and didn't realise that Sweden could not retain it's strict food quality controls, and block imports of poorer quality meats etc...
He went on to say that unfortunately that meant food quality in Sweden would decline. Had He investigated it closely, he would of then opposed the joining. ... (hide full quote)

Well, we left Sweden in 2005, and at that time food quality was definitely higher than that in the UK.
In fact, we were struck by the lack of quality of everything in the UK...so depressing...

Gosh, you all spend so much on food! . I know this is a pointless contribution but I'm shocked.

In 2005 we used to spend on food around 3000SEK for a family of 2, but our boss used to spend 5000SEK, and he lived alone .

[HannahSwain]

I've been living in Sweden (Stockholm) for nearly four months and the price of food continues to shock me. It's perfectly normal that the price of ground beef is double what I'm used to paying in the Netherlands. Not all food is twice the price that I'm used to, but everything is consistently more expensive - shockingly so, sometimes.

We eat mostly veggies, fruits and meat, rounded out with dairy, so I recognize that this tends to be more expensive. Still, spending close to 6000 kr per month for two of us when I could survive on €150 per month on my own in the Netherlands is telling.

[Migga]

Laws, climate, health standards, enviorment standards and long transporting routes to the northern top of the world will lead to extra costs when it comes to food.

[skogsbo]

House alarm? Where do you live? Have you checked the criminality rate before getting a house alarm? Do you think it's worth getting an alarm if there has been only one or ... (show full quote)

House alarm? Where do you live? Have you checked the criminality rate before getting a house alarm? Do you think it's worth getting an alarm if there has been only one or two burglaries in a year in your area? I would take my chances, because most thieves will steal with the alarm anyway, that's mostly there just for your own satisfaction. ... (hide full quote)

The stats will prove that an alarm is a deterent and won't get stolen, can you show otherwise. Plus if there are only a few crimes in a populated area, then a thief that sees and alarmed house, will just rob your neighbours or your house that doesn't have one. Why should they take the risk if they don't need to.
A person with an alarm is also probably more aware and won't leave car keys and valuables lying around for easy access.

Just checked tesco, and yes, you can get beef at half the price (£31 a kilo), Outside London a steak costs £16 (around 160SEK). How much does a steak cost in Sweden?

I would say that you should be paying 300kr+ or £30 if you want good fillet/sirloin steak. This is minimum, retail price for fillet is now £31, so unless they run at a loss or are paying the farmer below market average you shouldn't get it for less.
The farmer will get around £3.20 per kilo carcass weight, ie the meat and bones, but minus the head,guts, organs, skin. Some parts like those that are minced won't go for much more than that, but other several times more, so the processor and the supermarket are making a killing off the consumer. Buy local produce and you'll narrow the shops profit margin and give more to the farmer.

Unfortunately it does not . He went on to say that unfortunately that meant food quality in Sweden would decline. Had He investigated it closely, he would of then opposed the joining.

It's about to get worse. New regulations for pigs come into effect in Jan 2013, Sweden, Denmark and the UK are pretty much ready and compliant now. Other Euro producers, despite a 10 year warning aren't even close, some just won't bother. So pork from Ireland, France and some other pockets in Europe will come from farms breaking EU regs, but the rules won't be enforced on the farmers via Brussels, but the rules that continue to allow countries to export inferior meat to Sweden will be! It's an unfair market. I'm just looking forward to the collapse of the EU, sooner the better. It will be carnage for a while, but it's a failed experiment and needs to go.