Sweden offers the highest net salary (after taxes) in the European Union after Denmark and Luxembourg. The average salary in Sweden is SEK 31,400 per month before taxes or SEK 376,800 per year, according to Statistics Sweden. IT workers earn almost 30% above the average in Sweden.
How much you can earn
According to Statistics Sweden, the average salary for software and system developers stands at SEK 40,000 per month (before taxes) varying between SEK 35,000 and 44,100.
Note that the minimum salary to apply for an EU Blue Card in Sweden is SEK 51,900 per month.
The average IT salaries in Sweden can vary significantly depending on the specialization (SEK per month):
- Back-end developer: 40,450
- Business intelligence analyst: 41,640
- Database administrator: 36,075
- Front-end developer: 37,200
- Game developer: 32,090
- IT manager: 33,890
- IT security consultant: 46,390
- Mobile developer: 42,100
- Product manager: 45,503
- Product owner: 46,895
- QA tester: 30,570
- Software developer: 37,220
- Solution architect: 50,830
- System administrator: 32,470
- System architect: 43,610
- UX designer: 36,765
- Web developer: 26,910
IT salaries also depend on work experience. Employees with experience from 2 to 5 years earn on average 32% more than junior specialists across all industries. And ss you hit the 10 years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark, according to Salary Explorer.
In addition, salaries are higher in the private sector — almost SEK 52,000 compared to remuneration offered by municipal organizations (close to SEK 44,000).
IT salaries also vary significantly across the tech companies. Yubico, Google, Facebook, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) top the salary league in Sweden’s tech industry. Here are examples (SEK per month):
- Yubico: 127,960
- Google: 107,940
- Facebook: 103,250
- AWS: 98,930
- Microsoft: 91,090
- King: 80,430
- Mojang: 77,290
- Bambora: 74,640
- Spotify: 71,250
- DICE: 62,710
- iZettle: 52,680
- Acast: 52,230
- Klarna: 51,000
- Rebtel: 48,900
- Kry: 47,350
- Automile: 44,430
- Truecaller
All salaries mentioned above are calculated before taxes. You can use an online tax calculator to learn how much you will earn after taxes.
Illustration: If you make SEK 40,000 a month living in Sweden, you will be taxed SEK 10,362 (Neuvoo.com)
For example, if you make SEK 40,000 a month living in Stockholm, you will be taxed SEK 10,362. That means that your net pay will be SEK 29,638 per month. Your average tax rate is 25.90%, and your marginal tax rate is 34.63%. This marginal tax rate means that your immediate additional income will be taxed at this rate. For instance, an increase of SEK 100 in your salary will be taxed SEK 34.63, hence, your net pay will only increase by SEK 65.37.
Cost of living in Sweden
The average IT salary of SEK 40,000 per month is enough to live in Sweden as this is above the average income in the country. The minimum expenses in Sweden are between SEK 18,000 and 25,000 per month depending on the size of your family and your spending. This sum includes the following monthly expenses (SEK):
- Rental accommodation: 10,000 – 18,000
- Food: 3,000 – 4,000 or 6,000 – 7,000 for a larger family
- Insurance: 200
- Leisure activities: 400–500
- Transport: 700–800
- Utilities and Internet: 800
If you’re planning to relocate to Stockholm or another large city in Sweden, you unlikely will need to have any car-related expenses as urban areas have an extensive and effective public transport system.
Health care expenses for adults are low — about SEK 300 per visit to the doctor, until your costs exceed approximately SEK 1,300 euros per year, after which services are free. Medical procedures, even complex ones, are free, although sometimes you have to wait for a month or so. Health care services for children are free, including all medications, dental procedures, and even glasses.
Keep in mind that life in Stockholm is more expensive than in other Swedish cities.