IT Contracting in Sweden: Living & Working

Profile written by Matt Walters of Capital Consulting (October 2008).

Stockholm ca. 23.84% cheaper than London (Mercer, 2008)

Sweden is the third largest western country in Europe, half of which is covered by lakes and forests. About 85% of the population lives in the south, with just under 2 million in Stockholm alone.

Public holidays in Sweden include New Year's Day, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter, Easter Monday, Labour Day (May 1), Ascension, Whit Sunday, the Swedish National Holiday (June 6), Midsummer's Day, All Saints' Day, Christmas Day (December 25), St. Stephen's Day.

I. Languages

While the official language of Sweden is Swedish, English is widely spoken. For the English-speaking contractor, the employment opportunities in Sweden are many and varied, and the language barrier can be surmounted with some effort.

For purposes of local administration, it can be helpful to have a grasp of Swedish, and a foreigner making an effort is always welcome!

II. Accommodation

Finding and renting apartments in Sweden varies greatly from region to region. In general, availability is significantly lower in urban areas, especially in large cities, and prices are well above the national average.
To find an apartment for rent you can advertise in the local/regional newspaper or, where they exist, contact municipal housing agencies. Alternatively, you can contact private housing companies, which can be found in the phone book under "Bostadsföretag".

Prices for accommodation are very high and quoted on a daily rent basis, which can vary from 575 to 2'300 SEK per day in central Stockholm.

III. Travel

i. Air

Sweden's key airports, Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) and Gothenburg (GSE), provide speedy links to all key UK airports by Ryanair and British Airways amongst others.

ii. Rail

The rail journey from London to Stockholm, via Brussels, Hamburg and Copenhagen will take you just over 25 hours, sleeping from Hamburg to Copenhagen in one of the German night trains.

iii. Road

The drive from London to Stockholm is about 1'071 miles and, using the Eurotunnel, takes about 17 hours.

iv. Ferry

London-Stockholm via Denmark by ferry departing from Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark, finishing your travel by train via Copenhagen and Malmö has a few departures per week.
 

Capital Consulting is an international payroll and contract-management company providing tailor-made tax planning services to contractors working overseas. For more detailed information on your personal situation, please contact Capital on +41 32 732 97 00.