Sweden Salary Calculator

An Introduction to Sweden

Sweden is the fifth largest country by area in Europe with a size of over 173 thousand square miles (449 thousand square kilometers) and a population of over 10 million. The country is located in Northern Europe and is bordered by Norway, Finland, the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, Skagerrak, and Kattegat. Its position is a strategic one as it lies along the Danish Straits linking the Baltic and North Seas. The capital of Sweden is located in Stockholm.

Within Sweden exists a mixed economic system with a variety of private freedom, centralized economic planning and government regulation. The Swedes have some of the highest standard of living and life expectancy in the world, thanks to their advanced welfare system.

Sweden is also a member of the European Union. The deregulation of the telecommunications, energy and air traffic sectors are some of the structural reforms that have taken place in Sweden since it became a member of the EU.

In the past, Sweden's economy has been heavily dependent on natural resources such as forests and ore, but information technology has now become one of the leading drivers of economic activity. Today, the Swedish economy is heavily dependent on a highly developed industrial sector with major companies including Ericsson, ASEA/ABB, Astra, Alfa Laval, SKF, Electrolux, Volvo and SAAB. Recently, large retail companies such as H&M and IKEA have also become quite prominent.

The success of Swedish design is also evident through the irresistible furnishings, textiles and lighting in cafes, restaurants and homes across the nation of Sweden, which is a place of excellent taste and attention to detail.

Sweden's beauty also extends to its natural assets. Taking time to leave the city behind will allow you to appreciate this country's natural beauty. The sense of space, solitude and freedom is matched by few corners of Western Europe, whether you are sailing across an archipelago to an island or trekking along a trail flanked by snowcapped mountains.

As far as the climate goes, the location of the country plays an important role as Sweden extends almost 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from north to south. The southernmost part of Sweden has a mean temperature of 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) in January, while the cold valleys in the far north have a mean temperature of 3.2 degrees F (-16 degrees C). There are times when winter temperatures can drop below -40 degrees F, which also happens to be -40 degrees in Celsius as well.

Sweden's geography is mostly flat with mountains in the west and the majority of its land area covered with plentiful forest. There are also a lot of lakes, rivers, and streams too. A large portion of the population lives in towns and cities located along the coast. The people of Sweden are quite diverse as, after World War II, large-scale immigration from other parts of Europe and from other parts of the world has taken place with the most common foreign ancestry being from neighboring Finland.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the income tax rate in Sweden?

The employment income tax rate in Sweden is progressive and ranges from 0% to 20% depending on your income for residents while non-residents are taxed at a flat rate of 25%. This income tax calculator can help estimate your average income tax rate and your take home pay.

How many income tax brackets are there in Sweden?

The income tax system in Sweden has two different tax brackets for residents. For more details, check out our detail section.

Sweden Tax Brackets and Other Information

The employment income tax system in Sweden is a progressive tax system. This means that your income is split into multiple brackets where lower brackets are taxed at lower rates and higher brackets are taxed at higher rates. Tax rates range from 0% to 20%.

Each of the 290 municipalities in Sweden also have their own municipal income tax that residents are subject to. The tax rates vary wildly, but the average is around 32%.

A standard deduction exists in the form of a "grundavdrag", which translates to "basic deduction". This is calculated based on a complicated set of complex formulas/tables and the price base amount (PBB) which is called "prisbasbelopp", which for 2022 is 48,300 kr. Other deductions and credits also exist but are not included here as our calculator only focuses on standard ones that are available to most.

Non-residents are not eligible for any deductions and are taxed at a flat rate of 25%. However, they seem to be exempt from municipal tax.

Note that there is a special case for those who qualify as approved foreign experts with an income over a certain limit. Those that qualify may be eligible for a special tax deduction in the form of an expert tax relief which allows 25% of compensation to be exempt from income tax for a limited period of time.

Social Security in Sweden

The social security net and social welfare in Sweden is very impressive among the world's nations. In Sweden, social security is paid for by the employer with the exception of a portion of the pension, which employees are subject to contribute to. However, the pension fee is fully offset by a tax credit of an equal amount so there is essentially no cost for employees.

Resident status and income tax in Sweden

In general, those who have permanent stay in Sweden, a continuous stay exceeding six months in Sweden, or was previously a Sweden tax resident and still has an obvious connection to Sweden are considered tax residents and are taxed on worldwide income.

Non-residents are only taxed on income derived from sources in Sweden.