Spain vs Sweden

Spain
Europe
Capital Madrid · 47M people · Euro
Sweden
Europe
Capital Stockholm · 10M people · Krona
Cost of living
Spain
$344/mo
Safety
Sweden
1.3/5
Getting around
Sweden
0.6/5
Culture
Even
even
Passport reach
Spain
not scored
Airports
Spain
284M passengers/yr
Climate
Depends on you
not scored
Overall
Dead heat, 2–2.
Across 5 scored factors, each counted once — we don't weight them for you. Healthcare, visas and tax aren't included.

Cost of living

monthly median · solo budget

Spain is cheaper
$1,884/mo
Minimalist $1,420 · Comfort $2,926
ranks #69 of 95 worldwide
$2,228/mo
Minimalist $1,754 · Comfort $3,375
ranks #76 of 95 worldwide

Cost in the three biggest cities

Madrid$2,244$2,691Stockholm
Barcelona$2,436$2,370Göteborg
Valencia$1,754$2,036Malmö

Between the two, Spain is cheaper — $1,884/mo vs $2,228/mo.

Spain is pricier than 23 of 41 European countries; Sweden is pricier than 29 of 41 European countries.

Safety

safety index

Sweden is safer

Spain

2.8/5
Mixed picture

Sweden

4.1/5
Reassuringly safe
ES flagSpainSwedenSE flagGap
Street safety3.4/53.9/5+0.5
Property safety2.3/53.6/5+1.3
Road safety3.1/54.0/5+0.9
Earthquake safety3.5/54.0/5+0.5
Wildfire safety2.1/53.7/5+1.6
Flood safety3.1/53.0/5+0.1

Between the two, Sweden is safer — 4.1/5 vs 2.8/5.

Spain is less safe than 24 of 41 European countries; Sweden is safer than 31 of 41 European countries.

Getting around

transit & transport systems

Sweden scores higher

Spain

3.1/5
City-dependent

Sweden

3.7/5
Generally workable
ES flagSpainSwedenSE flagGap
Walkability4.5/54.0/5+0.5
Transit3.5/54.5/5+1.0
Cycling2.9/54.0/5+1.1
Airport access3.6/53.3/5+0.3

Between the two, Sweden scores higher on mobility — 3.7/5 vs 3.1/5.

Spain is easier to get around than 25 of 41 European countries; Sweden is easier to get around than 36 of 41 European countries.

Culture

cultural depth

Even

Spain

4.0/5
Strong scene

Sweden

4.0/5
Rich culture

World Heritage sites

Photos via Wikimedia Commons · data UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Spain and Sweden are even on culture — both at 4.0/5.

Passport reach

what the passport opens

Spain reaches more
ES flagSpainSwedenSE flagGap
Visa-free destinations10599+6
GDP reach92%92%Even
Heritage sites reachable11331136+3

Spain's passport reaches 105 destinations visa-free to Sweden's 99 — Spain opens more doors without a visa.

Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.

Airports

international connectivity

Spain is better connected

Flight connectivity in the biggest cities

MadridMAD68M24MUppsalaARN
BarcelonaBCN57M5.4MGöteborgGOT
ES flagSpainSwedenSE flagGap
Major airports243+21
Annual passengers315M31M+284M

Between the two, Spain is better connected — 315M passengers/yr vs 31M passengers/yr.

Spain is busier than 83 of 87 countries worldwide; Sweden is quieter than 43 of 87 countries worldwide. Spain sees ~7 air passengers per resident a year; Sweden sees ~3 air passengers per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.

Climate

where most people live · °C

Depends on you
Spain-5°C to 35°C
Sweden-20°C to 26°C

Extremes — coldest Luleå -29°C

-35°-20°0°20°40°

Spain runs -5°C to 35°C for most people; Sweden runs -20°C to 26°C for most people.

Luleå runs colder, at -29°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.

Spain vs Sweden: frequently asked

▶Should I move to Spain or Sweden?
Dead heat, 2–2. Across 5 scored factors, each counted once — we don't weight them for you. Healthcare, visas and tax aren't included.
▶Is Spain or Sweden cheaper?
Between the two, Spain is cheaper — $1,884/mo vs $2,228/mo. Spain is pricier than 23 of 41 European countries; Sweden is pricier than 29 of 41 European countries.
▶Is Spain or Sweden safer?
Between the two, Sweden is safer — 4.1/5 vs 2.8/5. Spain is less safe than 24 of 41 European countries; Sweden is safer than 31 of 41 European countries.
▶Is it easier to get around in Spain or Sweden?
Between the two, Sweden scores higher on mobility — 3.7/5 vs 3.1/5. Spain is easier to get around than 25 of 41 European countries; Sweden is easier to get around than 36 of 41 European countries.
▶Does Spain or Sweden have a richer culture?
Spain and Sweden are even on culture — both at 4.0/5.
▶Which has better flight connections, Spain or Sweden?
Between the two, Spain is better connected — 315M passengers/yr vs 31M passengers/yr. Spain is busier than 83 of 87 countries worldwide; Sweden is quieter than 43 of 87 countries worldwide. Spain sees ~7 air passengers per resident a year; Sweden sees ~3 air passengers per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.
▶Which passport is stronger, Spain or Sweden?
Spain's passport reaches 105 destinations visa-free to Sweden's 99 — Spain opens more doors without a visa. Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.
▶What is the climate like in Spain versus Sweden?
Spain runs -5°C to 35°C for most people; Sweden runs -20°C to 26°C for most people. Luleå runs colder, at -29°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.