Scandinavia’s reputation for being expensive stretches back decades…but one British ex-pat enjoying life in Sweden has revealed he pays way less to live there than he would in his native Scotland.
Daniel Watson, who was raised in Clydebank, says he pays just £630 a month to rent a flat in the Swedish city of Uppsala – and that includes hot water, heating and other bills.
According to the Scottish Government, the average rental price of a two-bedroomed home in 2023/2024 was £893, excluding bills.
And in London last year, the average price of a rented home was £2,695 while across the rest of the UK it was £1,341, according to research by property website Rightmove.
Watson, a father-of-one, told broadcaster STV that because he was under 27, he qualified for an ‘ungdomslägenhet’, a rent-controlled flat in the Scandinavian country.
He explained that he didn’t need a deposit for his home, which lies 42 miles north of Swedish capital Stockholm, and most of his bills are included in his monthly charge.
After studying in the Scandinavian country, Watson says staying in Sweden was a no brainer when fatherhood came his way.
He explained: ‘There’s no deposit on the flat. I didn’t need to give rent in advance.
Scottish father-of-one Daniel Watson says he has 24/7 heating and hot water at the flat he rents for £630 a month in the Swedish city of Uppsala
The Scot told broadcaster STV that he qualified for an ‘ungdomslägenhet’, a rent-controlled flat and says knowing how much he has to pay every month is hugely reassuring when you have a young family
‘If you’re having a family (in Scotland) you’re going to worry about your bills every month. Here, there’s just that stability.’
While Watson has to pay for electricity, he says having access to free-flowing heating in a country that’s cold is reassuring – and wishes his homeland could follow a similar blueprint.
He said: ‘I’ve no boiler. I don’t need to put on the heating. The heating is on 24/7 in the winter and is always at the same temperature.
‘I can’t imagine worrying about my boiler breaking down in the middle of a Glasgow winter.
‘That’s the big difference, back home in Scotland they don’t understand that we’re a northern country.
‘We shouldn’t build houses like it’s for London. We should build houses for our own needs with good insulation and heating.’
He added: ‘That’s what they’ve done here. I hope they can be a model for Scotland.’
Last week, new research revealed the cheapest and most expensive cities in which to be an expat, with a top holiday destination ranking as the most affordable.
The results came from a survey run by the expat network InterNations, which asked those living abroad to rate their lives based on key personal-finance factors.
A survey earlier this month put Valencia, on Spain’s Costa Blanca coastline, as officially the cheapest city to live in as an expat
Expats were asked about the general cost of living in their new home, their satisfaction with their financial situation and whether their disposable income was enough to ‘lead a comfortable life’.
Valencia, on Spain’s sunny Costa Blanca coastline, was officially the cheapest city to live in as an expat.
Over three quarters (77 per cent) of expats living there are satisfied with their financial situation, much higher than the global average of 54 per cent.
And more than six in ten (61 per cent) say their disposable income is ‘more than enough’ to lead a comfortable life, significantly higher than the global average of 41 per cent.
And nearby Malaga also ranked highly. More than seven in ten (72 per cent) expats are happy with the city’s cost of living.
London ranks as the third most expensive city for expats, with seven in ten (70 per cent) describing the Big Smoke’s cost of living as too high
And 38 per cent describe themselves as ‘completely satisfied’ with their financial situation.
Meanwhile, London ranked as the third most expensive city for expats, with seven in ten (70 per cent) people describing the Big Smoke’s cost of living as too high.
Close to two in five (39 per cent) are unhappy with their personal financial situation in London.
Just under half (46 per cent) say their disposable income isn’t enough to lead a comfortable life.
