Ask HN: Should I go to Sweden for work? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Should I go to Sweden for work?

#71

Post by mjn » Mon, Oct 21, 2013, 10:10 PM UTC

mrmekon wrote: post #30

I moved to Stockholm from the US earlier this year. The salary is supposedly good for Stockholm, but about 20-30% lower than offers I had in the US. I took it because I particularly loved the idea of living in Sweden, and I was not disappointed. Comparing the cost of living is difficult. I don't know anything about the lifestyle in Moscow, but the US is so extremely different from Sweden that it turns out I did all o…

Out of curiosity, what do you find cheaper about the Swedish lifestyle? Moving from California to Denmark, I have sort of a vague feeling that's true for me also, but having trouble coming up with any specifics! I did get rid of my car, which is one big source of savings on insurance/gas/maintenance (plus a nice one-time $10k from selling it). But apart from that, I'm not too sure what's different. Maybe I eat out less as well, and do more picnics in the summer.

Re: Ask HN: Should I go to Sweden for work?

#72

Post by zalew » Mon, Oct 21, 2013, 11:35 PM UTC

mjn wrote: post #71

mrmekon wrote: post #30

I moved to Stockholm from the US earlier this year. The salary is supposedly good for Stockholm, but about 20-30% lower than offers I had in the US. I took it because I particularly loved the idea of living in Sweden, and I was not disappointed. Comparing the cost of living is difficult. I don't know anything about the lifestyle in Moscow, but the US is so extremely different from Sweden that it turns out I did all o…

Out of curiosity, what do you find cheaper about the Swedish lifestyle? Moving from California to Denmark, I have sort of a vague feeling that's true for me also, but having trouble coming up with any specifics! I did get rid of my car, which is one big source of savings on insurance/gas/maintenance (plus a nice one-time $10k from selling it). But apart from that, I'm not too sure what's different. Maybe I eat out le…

I haven't been to Sweden, but I assume he's talking about not being that keen on hanging out at the shopping mall where you get overcharged for shitty food when you get hungry from buying too much stuff you don't really need and spending half an hour looking for parking space after a 30km high-traffic ride from home.

Re: Ask HN: Should I go to Sweden for work?

#73

Post by borisquiroz » Tue, Oct 22, 2013, 2:08 AM UTC

I moved from Santiago, Chile to Göteborg on December last year, it wasn't so good to me but my advice is "go ahead".

Some thoughts I'd like to share:

1. Ask people on your new job for help to find a good place to live. Rent market in Sweden is very complicated, and you'll find yourself in a queue for at least 6 months. Don't try http://www.blocket.se/ as there's a lot of scam there.

2. You'll love public transportation and internet connectivity, they really rocks!

3. Taxes are not as expensive as people used to say. Same thing with food and some other stuffs.

4. It's a great opportunity to grow up as a professional

5. I hate the weather in Sweden, too cold to me :)

6. Don't worry about the language, everybody in Sweden speak English.

7. Göteborg is a small city, so it's not dangerous at all. Different story in Stockholm, you have to be careful with that.