needed some info abt cost of living in stockholm

[knm]

Hi,
I am a male aged 24years writing here. I will be going to stockholm on an few months assignment related to my profession.
I would like to know about certain things before leaving for stockholm which are listed below
- House rents 1/2/3 bed room flats, moderately furnished.
- Food expenses. (am a vegetarian)
- Entertainment expenses
- travel expenses
- things for the normal life.
I like to lead a normal/moderate life.
Does 48000Swedish Krona pre person is enough for the normal life in stockholm?
Approximately how much tax could be incurres on the above amount?
Also I want information abt the tourist places in sweden.
If I get the answers for the above queries from some swedish person, that would be of great help to me.
I am a friendly person and I would like to invite any swedish ppl to become my friend. That would be great and useful for me.
You can always reach me at knm4you@yahoo.com.

Best regards,
Knm

[bosse_s]

Originally posted by knm

- House rents 1/2/3 bed room flats, moderately furnished.
- Food expenses. (am a vegetarian)
- Entertainment expenses
- travel expenses
- things for the normal life.
I like to lead a normal/moderate life.
Does 48000Swedish Krona pre person is enough for the normal life in stockholm?
Approximately how much tax could be incurres on the above amount?

The average pay for “middle class” Swedes is probably 18 000 - 27 000 SEK/month, and they pay around 30% tax on that. If you earn 48 000 SEK, I think your tax will be around 47% however. But anyway you won´t have any problem living a "normal" life! You will have no problems even adding a little luxury to your moderate life 

Some ballpark figures for Stockholm:

Rent: expect from 3000 SEK/month (1-room) and up. Since it is hard to find apts in Stockholm, expect to pay something like 7000SEK/month if you rent a 2-room apt.
Food expenses: Lunch 50-80SEK at a restaurant. Groceries are more expensive in Sweden than in most of mainland Europe. 1 litre of milk 7SEK, Loaf of bread 15-30 SEK, 1 litre of Juice 13 SEK, cheese from 50SEK/kilo and up... Plenty of vegetables and fruits, but prices go up in the winter since everything is imported. Bananas, organges, apples are about 15SEK/kg. No problem finding good stuff for making vegetarian food, however.
Entertainment: Cinema about 80SEK, Theatre 150SEK and up, Museums about 60SEK, dinner from 150 and up. (Alcohol is expensive, a large beer or glas of wine about 45SEK)
Things for normal life: Magazines about 50SEK, video rental about 30 SEK, cable tv about 150 SEK/month, broadband around 300SEK/month, telephone communication is cheap (including cell-phones), clothes are fairly expensive.
Travel: Gas is about 9SEK/litre, Free travel on the public transportation costs 500SEK/month (busses, trains, subway, trams and ferries).

[knm]

hi Bosse_s,
Thanks for ur information. I guess the 48000SEK/month is a handsome pay in stockholm. But tax is whopping 47%, too much to survive:-(. ultimately i cant save much in sweden:-(.
Below u said the 2bed rm flat costs 7000SEK. But onw of friend went to stockholm 2days before, is paynig 15000SEK per month, though its a furnished apartment. Is that too high to pay for?
If I want to get a cheaper one.. i mean the one which u r saying around 7000SEK/month how can i get one? ( i shud try thru any local agents or newspapers?). Since my friend is new to place he also doesnt know much abt the costs in sweden.
How abt the McD's, Pizza Hut/Pizza Corners, chinese and indian restaurants in stockholm. Are they abundant?
Unfortulately am going to sweden in winter, i guess its too cold(freezing) now. but anyway i can enjoy cristmas if i get visa within this week.:-)
How abt the night life in sweden? didnt find much on the net. How much clubs, gals costs there? ..dont mind.. ;-) am a bachelor still!!! ;D
One more thing, by the way i didnt know abt u. Can u introduce abt urself a bit in the next reply.
I hope am not troubling u much..;-)

cheers
knm

[bosse_s]

Yes, you have a good pay and you should be able to save some money. Your friend seem, quite frankly, like his being ripped off by someone. I just did a search for inner city apartments at http://www.bostad-direkt.se/ and found several apartments avaible for half of what he is paying.

Normally, about 10-15% is added to a rent if furniture is included.

If McDonalds and fast food is what you are looking for, there are plenty. There are 63 McDonald´s in the Stockholm area. Second most popular are pizzerias, which are privately owned restaurants. There are Pizza Huts and other American chains of fastfood as well (no KFCs though). Next to pizzerias, I would guess that Indian and Chinese restaurants are most common. After that, well you can find most everything. (Swedish food seem to be the hardest thing to find after lunch-hours)

Nightlife in Stockholm is fairly good, given that this is a city of only 1 million inhabitans

Me, I am getting closer to 30. Researcher and consultant working and living in Stockholm.

For more info, and ideas - try browsing these pages (some only in Swedish)
http://www.stockholmtown.com
http://www.aos.se
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...6_indshop.html
http://home.swipnet.se/~w-25731/rock...ight/index.htm
http://www.yosthlm.com/
http://www.partyversum.se/party/
http://www.nojesguiden.se/

[knm]

Bosse_s,
Thanks once again for useful reply.
I think I need an interpreter to read the contents of the web sites, as i dont know swedish lang. :-(
Is it possible that I could talk to u or meet u when i will be in Stockholm? As u know enlish, it could be helpful for me.
I will be flying soon to stockholm. May be in this week itself.
ok then..
C u later
bye for now

[knm]

Bosses,
Can i contact u over phone or by any means(once i reach stockholm). Because I needed the help of Someone who is familiar with the things at stockholm. Although my friend is trying to find a cheaper apartment(of nearly 7000SEK-10000SEK as u told), he didnt get anything. He told all he saw are in the range of 15000SEK to 21000SEK per month. Again I will be joining my friend soon. It will be costlier for us. Is it possible for u to give ur contact info so that I could expect some help from u as an outsider new to place? Just a request.

best regards,
knm

[bosse_s]

Don´t take it personal, but I don´t really fancy that and I don´t have any contacts that would get you further. Have you visited that page I linked to? They seem to have a lot of apartments. Go to http://www.bostad-direkt.se/

Don´t be afraid that you won´t be able to get help, people speak English and there are great "public services" in Stockholm. Once you get here, get in contact with me through sweden.com and report back. Off course I want to help you, but like I said it is not much I think I can do, and - if nothing else - I will be away now until after new years.

Good luck!

[knm]

Bosses,
I reached stockholm. Currently I am staying in 'Nybrogatan', stockholm. I tried to look for an apartment in http://www.bostad-direkt.se/ but was not able to look into since i really dont know which area it comes into or which residential areas are nearby. The apartment currently am staying is too hightly priced. Its one bed room , furnished apartment costing 625krona per day. I am looking for a cheaper one. I could not understand the writings in the web-site as i dont know swedish. My office is located in 'Sehlesthagatan'. Can u just suggest me.. or gime some tips of which are the places to look into.. for cheaper apartments.. nearby to my office location.. or to reach an office within 30mins . like that.
If you have the numbers of real estate consultants whom i can try, thet would of gr8 use..
I need to change the apartment urgently..

thanks and regards,
knm

[AA_AE_OE]

If you looking for cheaper apartments check out in the suburbs like Västerort, Solna, Sundbyberg, the numbers 120-133. From those areas you have good communications (bus/subway).

[Didac]

625 kr a day for an one room apartment is way to much, sounds like a robbery to me!

you should try phoning bostad-direkt at Tel:08-616 00 27, or visit them at Hornsgatan 134.

if you look at their web site and chose region "inom tull", all of them would be in central Stockholm. the words "omg" means they are availible right away. But to get the phone number to the obkect you must register and that will be hard without knowing Swedish. So phone or visit them.

there's a housing agency owned by Stockholm town:
http://www.bostad.stockholm.se/html/sprak/english.htm
call them and ask for help. Allthough I think the queues are long for apartments through their system, but it's worth a try and you could get good advices from their proffesionals.

If you are into buying a flat you could check with these:
http://www.notar.se tel: 08-545 554 00 (one office)
http://www.svenskfast.se tel:08-545 422 00 (one office)

Sincerely
David

[knm]

Hi...
thank all who provided me the enough information.
I wanted some info abt the shopping centres in stockholm where I can get best deals with discounts on digital electronics like MP3 jukebox, digital camera/ handy cam.. etc..
It would be gr8 if anybody give url of the online shopping sites of stockholm sweden.

And one more doubt, Here am on few months assignments (3-4months).But I have work permit for 1year. AM I eligible for VAT exemption while leaving the country? one of my friend who is a work permit holder got the VAT exemption but another friend with similar work permit didnt get VAT exemption. The airport authorities told him he is not eligible for VAT exemption as he is having work permit. Can anybody have any clear picture of the VAT exemption to the aliens.

regards,
knm

[Didac]

Hi knm.

I hope the housing problem has been solved for you.

There are plenty of home electronic shops in Stockholm. One that's easy to find is Åhlens City, near T-centralen. I believe the electronics are on the 5th floor.

otherwise you could visit a shop belonging to one of the large electroncs chains. For example Expert; http://www.expert.se. You can find the electronics cheaper on internet stores, but those might be difficult to shop from if you lack knowledge in Swedish.

The tax question.. I'm sorry but I don't know the answers. You should try the Swedish Tax Board on the issue:
http://skatteverket.se/english/main.html#Kat_1

/David