Can I have a comfortable life as a nurse in Sweden? Can I buy a house and not worry about the cost of living?
07.06.2025 05:59
You should expect a salary of around SEK 40,000 per month (that’s the average; if the ink is not yet dry on your diploma, it’s about 30,000), which is SEK 31,500 after tax (24,000 if it’s your first job). Houses in small towns in acceptable condition start at SEK 2 million but don’t expect those to be easy to find; interest and amortisation will set you back some SEK 13,000 per month. Say SEK 18,000 (11,000 if it’s your first job) when housing is paid for. The “subsistence minimum”, as defined by various authorities, is some SEK 6,200 per month, so you are comfortably above that even when you’ve paid for electricity and water.
Rent for a flat will be somewhat lower than this: a bedsit in a small town will start at around SEK 5,000 per month. Living frugally, you’ll have saved up for the down payment in two years, assuming that you arrive totally penniless.
If you are a specialist nurse, with relevant experience, you might end up with up to twice the salary. And if you are willing to do some commuting, and especially if you are willing to live up north, you can easily find a cheaper house; in the towns along the coast north of Sundsvall, houses start at 1 million.
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Nurse is a relatively well paid profession, and even living alone, a small house and no immediate financial worries is definitely realistic. Upon arrival in Sweden, I’d recommend you to start by renting a flat – that’s usually available more or less immediately in a smaller town, and you can scout out the house market while saving up for the down payment of 15%; banks are extremely reluctant to lend you the entire amount and you really want to have the full 15% on hand first.
As for actual figures:
Basically yes, as long as you don’t want to live in or near the three biggest cities. Fortunately, as a nurse, your market is spread out all over the country and it should, if anything, be easier to find a job in a small town. But be aware that you will not find a job as a nurse unless you can communicate with patients in Swedish! Since there is a shortage of nurses, though, you will likely be able to find a program where you get free language training.