An Expat Talks about Moving to Stockholm, Sweden

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Stockholm

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

I wish I had brought:

My comfortable king size bed - One year's supply of large sized shoes - Contact lenses and solutions

I wish I had left behind:

My lifetime supply of books T-shirts - you can only wear it for 3 months in a year!

My mobile - no one calls!

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Expats interested in International Health Insurance should take a minute to get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA.
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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

Research! That is the key to moving. Find your clan and glean as much information as possible from people who have crossed the pond. Most of the websites for newcomers have links and resource. Another important thing is talking to people already there.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

We live in a second hand rental apartment which came unfurnished, with a fridge, oven and an electric stove. The rental includes heating and a car park bay.

The apartment is about 3mins to the train stop, 2 mins to the Lake Malaren, 8-10mins on train to Stockholm city and close the the forest.

Most expats live in apartments. If they are career expats, they might be in paid for villas with 3-5 rooms, fully furnished.

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

My husband was very particular on where we would live. Believe it or not, there are slumps in Sweden and Swedes are so careful about where and how they live that "addresses" are important statements of their "class". We got a tip through some friends.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

I found the housing in Sweden to be outrageously expensive. For what we are paying for a 59sq unfurnished apartment with one bedroom, we could have had a fully furnished apartment or house with at least 1,200sq! Plus a garden and parking!

We pay about 6,000sek here while an apartment in Malaysia (in a good area) would cost between RM2000 to RM3,500.