Country Guides Country Guide: Sweden

Date Published:

01/07/2009

Sweden is renowned for its beauty - but is it as expensive as you think it might be?

By Gordon Miller

An Overview

Sweden is the largest of the Scandinavian nations by landmass, with a population of nine million (the UK is home to 59 million people who live in an area half the size of Sweden). It may not be the first place we Britons think of when looking to buy abroad, but, for several reasons, you’d be making an oversight if you dismissed it out of hand.

Although Sweden is commonly perceived to be expensive and cold, in truth the cost of living in Sweden is only slightly higher than Britain’s (particularly in the southeast) but property prices are lower. The temperature is hotter in the summer than the UK’s and not as wet in winter – although it does snow a lot – making it a viable second home destination for those prepared to brave the cold, dark winter nights.

Sweden is also home to a high standard of living, and is among the most advanced nations for building sustainable communities with low carbon usage properties. The community of Hammarby Sjöstad, a suburb of Stockholm, which is energy self sufficient and where low carbon, highly insulated homes with strong sustainable civic amenities are the norm, is considered to be an exemplar of how the towns of the future should be developed in Europe.

Finally, Sweden is one of Europe’s cleanest and safest countries that regularly figures highly well in quality of life surveys. Health care and education are very good; there is little social deprivation and a strong sense of community and civic values. It’s also very beautiful in the winter and summer. The southern state of Skane, much to the amazement of many Britons, has sandy beaches, warm and shallow sea, and the sun shines all day long from June till August.