Moving to Northern Sweden? 8 Full Pros and Cons

I’m moving to Northern Sweden in 2024 and discovering the challenges and rewards, including the nature, job market, and more!

Moving to Northern Sweden

When foreigners decide to relocate to Sweden, Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmo are among the top destinations. The primary reason is that they are large and metropolitan cities. However, some may decide to relocate to other cities, such as those in northern Sweden.

When I decided to relocate to Northern Sweden in 2024, I expect a new and unique experience. The natural beauty of this area was one of the main reasons I moved here. These cities are also distinguished by vast wilderness, long winters, and sparse populations, which may discourage some residents from relocating.

While it may not be the first place that comes to mind when expatriates think about relocating to Sweden, it is an excellent choice for those who prefer the peace and quiet of the countryside. Here’s what I’ve learned since the move:

The weather is notoriously extreme

One thing I’ve discovered about living in northern Sweden is that the weather is quite extreme, particularly during the winter. The weather during winter is all about long periods of darkness and temperatures that frequently drop below -20°C, but summer is practically nonstop daylight as the sun hardly drops below the horizon.

These differences may first cause us concern, but with some preparation, we can deal with them easily. I normally invest in high-quality blackout curtains to help us sleep better during the midnight sun. During the winter, we must also ensure that our home is well-insulated in order to stay warm inside.

Public Transportation? Car is the solution

One of the biggest concerns when living in northern Sweden is accepting that having a car is a must. Although public transportation is available, access to public transportation is quite limited, especially if you live outside the big cities like Umeå, Luleå, Piteå, and Skellefteå.

Even though I currently live in the Skellefteå Centrum area, I feel that access to public transportation is still sparse compared to the city I used to live in in southern Sweden. As a result, my partner and I, who wanted to move to another city, had to postpone it because of this public transportation issue.

Despite the large factories in Skellefteå, many expats are concerned about the availability of buses, especially those who live outside Skellefteå for their daily commute, which can take at least an hour. I also often use public transportation to go to school, visit nature, and shop, and I feel that public transportation in Northern Sweden still needs to be improved. Hopefully, the Skellefteå railway project is completion soon, promising improved public transit in the future.

It also gets worse during winter when we only rely on public transportation. Last winter, when the temperature reached -40 degrees, many public transportation did not operate, which definitely had a big impact on expats. Therefore, owning a car is a great solution, especially if you want to live outside of major cities. To drive a car here, you must have a valid driver’s license.

How is the Access to Healthcare?

Access to healthcare is one of the essential factors to consider when living in Northern Sweden. If you need regular medical treatment, it is important to think about how easy it is to get healthcare in this area.

Although Northern Sweden has outstanding healthcare, comparable to other regions, the majority of it is concentrated in the larger cities. As a result, if you have certain medical needs, it is advisable to live near one of these healthcare facilities.

Umeå can be our alternative city, since it has a university hospital with more services than smaller cities. However, you should be prepared for delays in seeing specialists because medical personnel sometimes shift to rural areas.

The job markets in Northern Sweden

Let’s now discuss the job market in northern Sweden. To be honest, finding a job in northern Sweden can be as challenging as in other Swedish areas, especially if you don’t speak Swedish fluently.

As I discuss on my previous post about how good life in Sweden is in general. The situation is similar here. I’ll give you a quick overview of the job market here. Most jobs in Northern Sweden are in local industries like mining, forestry, and technology.

Many industries in northern Sweden hire foreign workers without knowing Swedish, such as the Northvolt battery plant in Skellefteå and the mining industries in Kiruna.

Another good option is education. I got an interview with one of the international schools in Skellefteå this week. So this can be your alternative.

When you consider other sectors like healthcare, tourism, and restaurants, unfortunately, you must have Swedish. Hence, the best suggestion for me is to learn Swedish and adapt to the local culture; there will be opportunities for us.

Language and integration

As I previously stated, learning Swedish is an excellent approach to increase our chances of finding work and integrating into the local society in northern Sweden.

There are several ways to learn Swedish. I acquired Swedish by taking the Swedish government’s free Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) course and using learning apps such as Duolingo.

Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) programs are primarily available in Northern Sweden cities, however their quality varies depending on where you live. In my opinion, learning Swedish at SFI is worthwhile, but we need additional resources to practice it on a regular basis.

Isolation and community

If you reside in northern Sweden, you may have to tolerate a certain level of isolation, especially in rural regions. While the environment here is beautiful, calm, and quiet, some individuals struggle to stay connected over the lengthy winter season. It’s unsurprising that many expats experience depression during this season.

There are several ways to stay connected with people in Northern Sweden. You can easily participate in local events, organizations, or online forums because they provide excellent opportunities to interact with others and minimize feelings of loneliness.

One activity that I highly recommend is Språk Cafes. Of course, you can also choose other activities. I highly recommend checking your city’s website regularly, such as Skelleftea Kommun, which has an international food festival today. This will certainly help us connect with the locals and practice using Swedish. Are you interested?

The natural beauty

One of the primary reasons people choose to live in this area is the breathtaking natural beauty. Northern Sweden is ideal for those who enjoy trekking and environment, as each season has its own distinct beauty, from huge woods and pure lakes to the magnificent Northern Lights.

In winter, northern Sweden is a popular winter destination, especially for skiing. It’s easy to see why because of how beautiful the winters are. If you’re a nature lover, it’s a must to stay here and see Lapland and Sweden’s signature Aurora first-hand.

In summer, the place is equally beautiful. You can use kayaks to explore the rivers or enjoy the typical summer atmosphere of the cities in Northern Sweden. The region of Northern Sweden therefore offers unparalleled access to nature. However, you should be prepared for the possibility of bad weather conditions, such as heavy snow or temperatures below -20 degrees.

Practical considerations

Finally, it is important that we think about shopping and accessing services as sometimes these services are not available in some cities in Northern Sweden. Therefore, we need to have a good plan to overcome this.

In Skellefteå itself, for example, you won’t find it here if you are a fan of certain fashion brands like Zara. The same goes for Ikea, which you can find in almost every city in Sweden; here, there is only Ikea Planera or a smaller version of Ikea. Thus, the best solution is to shop online, or you have to go to Umeå and Luleå, which can take about 2 – 3 hours by bus.

This is even worse if you live in a rural area. You can generally only find one grocery store, and sometimes it’s more expensive. Therefore, you may have to buy in bulk and learn to cook with seasonal ingredients. You can also consider creating your own vegetable garden, especially if you have a large plot. Of course, this can also be a consideration and an alternative solution.

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for a change of pace, Northern Sweden might be the perfect place for you since each city offers a peaceful lifestyle with natural beauty, vast wilderness, long winters, and a sparse population. However, living in northern Sweden does require a private car due to limited access to public transportation in some cities.

The job market in northern Sweden is also highly competitive and concentrated in local industries such as mining, forestry and technology. The good news is that many industries hire foreign workers who don’t know Swedish, but learning Swedish is essential for getting a job in most fields and integrating into the local community.