Cost of Living in Sweden for International Students in 2022 with an acceptance rate of more than 50% Swedish universities are becoming quite popular among international students. The country has an excellent education system that emphasizes group and independent studies rather than lectures. But the cost of supporting that education becomes one of the major causes of worry among the students. Sweden does offer free education to students belonging to EU/EEA students, but for international students, the tuition rates can be very high. If you are someone who wishes to choose Sweden then you should know about the cost of living there and make arrangements accordingly.
Cost of Living
Sweden offers high quality of life but it comes at a price. Just like any other place, the rent rates depend on the location but it is still high and increases at a rate of 1% every year. The capital, Stockholm is one of the most costly cities then Gothenberg, Upsala and Nykvarn become cheaper. There is a dual system of renting which is first hand and second-hand rentals. Most students take second-hand “sublets’ ‘ that are comparatively cheaper.
The living cost in Stockholm for a single person is about 1400 USD. Upsala and Gothenberg have a slightly lower cost of about 1050 USD. If you choose dormitories then you can expect an expense of about 240-620 EUR/ month. Dormitories also are a great place for interacting with both local and international students.
If you choose to share an apartment then you will have to spend 350-700 EUR/ month, which is also a great option.
Tuition Fee
There is a great variation in Tuition fees when it comes to EU and international students. Students from Nordic countries do not have to pay a higher fee for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. While for the international students the price varies from 7500-25500 EUR per year depending on the program and university. There is also an application fee of about 90 EUR that international students have to pay.
Cost of food
The cost of food depends on a lot of factors like your eating habits and whether you cook your own food or not. You can expect around 200 EUR expenditure on food. You can cut down the expense if you shop in cheap supermarkets like Willy’s. If you eat out at a restaurant you will spend from about 8 to 10 EUR per meal.
Cost of Transportation
Sweden has a swift and efficient public transport system which will cost you about 40-55 EUR per month depending on the distance between your house and university. The other option which is opted for by most of the student body is the bicycle. If you choose to ride the bikes you will spend 110 EUR per month. If you travel through your own vehicle then one litre of gas will be for 2 USD.
Basic utilities like water, wifi etc are not very expensive in Sweden. Some of the rentals even provide them for free but they are hard to find so some tenants have to sign a lease for the internet. So you will have to spend about 150 USD per month.
Some other expenses
Eggs will cost you about 3 USD. An evening of drinks might cost you around 6 EUR, one bottle of wine is for 11 USD, and half a litre of beer for 7 USD. But you will only be able to enjoy this if you are 18 or above. Books and other materials will be for 80 EUR. Another most important thing is medical insurance. Some countries have a very expensive insurance rate but in Sweden, you will be insured for 30 EUR.
Conclusion
To conclude, education in Sweden is great but is a little on the expensive side. But now you have the breakdown of all the expenses which will help you make an informed decision. The important takeaway is that Stockholm is quite expensive compared to Upsala and other cities. Although the public transport and other facilities are good and worth the price.
Author Bio
Abhyank Srinet is a passionate digital entrepreneur who holds a Masters in Management degree from ESCP Europe. He started his first company while he was still studying at ESCP, and managed to scale it up by 400% in just 2 years.
Being a B-School Alumni, he recognized the need for a one-stop solution for B-School to get in touch with schools and get their application queries resolved. This prompted him to create MiM-Essay, a one-of-a-kind portal with cutting-edge profile evaluation and school selection algorithms, along with several avenues to stay informed about the latest B-School Updates.