"We have recently moved to Sweden from the USA. We expected food prices to be exorbitant having heard this from “the many”. It has not been the case at all. The quality of regular supermarket food is ten times higher than in the USA. Bottom shelf products which are dirt cheap - on par with cheapest food in the US - are of generally very good quality especially when compared with the at times inedible offerings from US supermarkets! Cheese and meat (etc) is a similar price and of much higher quality also. (It is a relief to not have to buy “pasture raised beef” for example and as far as I can tell all eggs are free range here and are no more expensive than caged eggs in the US.)
Coffee is so so so so so so so so much better here also and a latte is typically about the same price as in the USA. Dining out is probably similar in cost generally to the US if you are buying midrange stuff from mid range cafes. I think fast food and low quality restaurants (of which there are fewer here anyway) are more expensive - in part because their employees are paid a decent wage!
Fuel is obviously more expensive than the USA but still far cheaper than Australia and NZ (where I have also spent time and lived respectively). Rents seem to be somewhat higher than in the US as well - especially in main centres and university towns. If you are happy to live in an apartment or a short way out into the country then rent is really not too bad - perhaps $600USD per month for a fairly nice place. We pay around $900USD for a gorgeous furnished one bedroom place with stylish and modern kitchen and underfloor heating and we are 10 minutes from two large towns/small cities.
I have been very pleasantly surprised. We are spending a similar amount on food yet the quality is so much better. I would say that overall our living costs are similar to what they were in the USA. Remembering also that our healthcare and education (as needed) is essentially free and we do not have to pay exorbitant health insurance bills each month. I think the definitive answer to this question lies in how exactly you define it though… I expect travelling as a tourist may be quite different to he experience of someone living here."
"Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
You're not allowed to take whatever rent you want in Sweden, we do not have "market controlled rent" (this rule/law is about to be removed/weaken though because of right winged influence in the present government).
So, I guess living here in Sweden is more "even" across the country than other countries where people can put whatever rent that people are willing to pay.
Don't know what is expensive or not. I pay $500 (water costs included, but not electricity and broadband) for a 2 room apartment 60 square meter big. Pretty central here in Gothenburg.
What do you pay?
Post edited by Spiritual_Chaos on
"Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
Comments
You scared S_C off with your PM suggestion. Damn it woman.
"We have recently moved to Sweden from the USA. We expected food prices to be exorbitant having heard this from “the many”. It has not been the case at all. The quality of regular supermarket food is ten times higher than in the USA. Bottom shelf products which are dirt cheap - on par with cheapest food in the US - are of generally very good quality especially when compared with the at times inedible offerings from US supermarkets! Cheese and meat (etc) is a similar price and of much higher quality also. (It is a relief to not have to buy “pasture raised beef” for example and as far as I can tell all eggs are free range here and are no more expensive than caged eggs in the US.)
Coffee is so so so so so so so so much better here also and a latte is typically about the same price as in the USA. Dining out is probably similar in cost generally to the US if you are buying midrange stuff from mid range cafes. I think fast food and low quality restaurants (of which there are fewer here anyway) are more expensive - in part because their employees are paid a decent wage!
Fuel is obviously more expensive than the USA but still far cheaper than Australia and NZ (where I have also spent time and lived respectively). Rents seem to be somewhat higher than in the US as well - especially in main centres and university towns. If you are happy to live in an apartment or a short way out into the country then rent is really not too bad - perhaps $600USD per month for a fairly nice place. We pay around $900USD for a gorgeous furnished one bedroom place with stylish and modern kitchen and underfloor heating and we are 10 minutes from two large towns/small cities.
I have been very pleasantly surprised. We are spending a similar amount on food yet the quality is so much better. I would say that overall our living costs are similar to what they were in the USA. Remembering also that our healthcare and education (as needed) is essentially free and we do not have to pay exorbitant health insurance bills each month. I think the definitive answer to this question lies in how exactly you define it though… I expect travelling as a tourist may be quite different to he experience of someone living here."
So, I guess living here in Sweden is more "even" across the country than other countries where people can put whatever rent that people are willing to pay.
Don't know what is expensive or not. I pay $500 (water costs included, but not electricity and broadband) for a 2 room apartment 60 square meter big. Pretty central here in Gothenburg.
What do you pay?
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say