Living in Sweden
as an expat
109+ practical English guides covering expat life in Sweden — from getting your Personnummer to navigating BankID, Skatteverket, and the Swedish housing market.
Start here — Personnummer & registration- 109+
- Guides
- 9
- Topics
- 10M+
- Population
- 592
- Sources cited
Do these in order — skip none
Your first week checklist
- 1Register at Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency)
- 2Get your personnummer (personal identity number)
- 3Open a bank account or use Wise temporarily
- 4Set up BankID — your Swedish digital identity
- 5Register for Swedish healthcare (vårdcentral)
- 6Get a SIM card — Comviq or Lycamobile are cheapest
- 7Set up Swish — Sweden's mobile payment system
- 8Register your tax card at Skatteverket
Most read
- 1Job Hunting in Sweden as a Foreigner: Complete Guide (2026)
- 2Buying Property in Sweden as a Foreigner: 2026 Guide
- 3Cost of Living in Sweden 2026: Complete Expat Breakdown
- 4Moving to Sweden — Complete Expat Guide 2026
- 5Swedish Tax System Explained for Expats (2026)
- 6Swish in Sweden: Expat Guide to Mobile Payments
First steps
Arriving
Personnummer, Skatteverket registration, BankID — do these first.
Money & tax
Banking & Money
Open a Swedish bank account, set up BankID, transfer money internationally.
A place to live
Housing
Find an apartment, understand the Swedish rental market and tenant rights.
Staying well
Healthcare
The Swedish healthcare system, how to find a GP, dental care, and Vårdguiden.
Work & career
Work & Career
Work permits, employment contracts, salary expectations in Sweden.
Everyday life
Daily Life
SIM cards, public transport, cultural norms for daily life.
Schools & study
Education
International schools, Swedish universities for international students, and childcare.
For your community
Country-Specific Guides
Tailored guides for Indian, international, and IT expats in Sweden.
Explore & escape
Travel & Trips
Each guide lists the sources it was written from, and shows when it was last updated and last verified.
Send money home without the bank markup
Sending money abroad from a Swedish account? Wise says it uses the mid-market exchange rate and shows its fee upfront, so you can compare the cost before you send.
- ✓ Hold SEK, EUR, GBP and 40+ currencies in one account
- ✓ Get a local EUR/GBP IBAN — useful before your Swedish bank is open
- ✓ Wise debit card works in Sweden and across the EU
Referral link — we may earn a reward if you sign up. It doesn't affect your fees.
Cover the gap before your personnummer comes through
Public healthcare in Sweden is tied to your personnummer and your registration with Försäkringskassan, neither of which is in place the day you land.SafetyWing covers that gap with affordable travel-medical insurance you can start before you arrive and cancel once you're in the system.
- ✓ Covers the gap before your personnummer-linked healthcare is active
- ✓ Monthly subscription — cancel anytime once you're covered
- ✓ Designed for remote workers and new arrivals abroad
Affiliate link — we earn a small commission if you sign up. It doesn't affect your price.