The choice of where to live is a fundamental choice every human adult will eventually make at some point. The European Nation has made it easier for people to move between countries in Europe opening for some great work or study opportunities. As simple and straightforward as this may sound, you still need to embark on a lot of research in order to arrive at the best possible decision that will benefit you in the long run. In this article, two popular cities with many similarities, Stockholm and Essex will be contrasted against each other on the continuum of work, education, salary, and living expenses. 

Work

Sweden is a tourist-friendly country and also a great place to work. Sweden operates a policy where each individual is meant to have a Personummer (a 12 digit number tag) which will hold the person's personal, social security, tax information, and career record. The first thing is therefore to apply for a Personummer and it may take a while. Sweden is one of the most developed nations in the world and the implication of this is that most of the job opportunities are for highly skilled workers. Since Sweden is known as a gaming nation with many of the world-leading game developers and online gaming platforms located in Sweden, there are many work opportunities within this industry for English speakers. The restaurant industry is another area where English speakers may find work but outside of these areas, you will probably have to learn at least some basic Swedish. The English speaking jobs available are not as much as the Swedish speaking jobs so the competition may be a bit rife but you could leverage the power of the internet by applying for freelance jobs online at portals such as Indeed, Metro Jobb, Swedish Startup spaced, etc. 

Just like Stockholm, Essex is a fantastic location to settle down in the UK. It is home to the longest pier in the world, beautiful beaches, great cuisine, and then job opportunities as well. The best way to secure job opportunities in Essex is to make use of online job portals as multiple vacancies in businesses within the Essex area are posted on the internet. 

Education

Stockholm is not just one of the top European cities; it also has a rich educational heritage. It is home to great universities and colleges where students from around the world can come to study. Some of the top schools in the city include Ersta Skondal Bracke University college, Beckmans College of Design, Karolinska Institutet-Solna Campus, Royal College of Music, Royal Institute of Art to name a few. The good news is that Sweden is a good choice to study for foreign students. Students with Nordic and European origin do not have to pay tuition and Ph.D. courses are free for international students. The school fees for international students in Stockholm range from €8,000 – €19,000 euros. 

Just in case you are not yet sold out on the decision of relocating to Essex, the abundant learning opportunities available might help your decision. Schools such as Writtle College, University of Essex, Colchester Institute, Havering College of Further and Higher Education among others are some of the top schools you can consider within the vicinity. Tuition costs in Essex may vary depending on the institution, course, and the duration of the program; however, the average annual cost is around £17,000 for the bachelor’s program and the cost of living is around £12,000 although this could vary based on the individual in question.

Salary and living expenses

After all is said and done, money is the greatest motivation for human effort. The choice of where to live will also be influenced by the average salary paid out to workers in that vicinity. There is no specific minimum wage in Sweden but workers union may step in to influence or determine the amount to be paid to workers. The average salary in Stockholm, Sweden is around 26,000 Swedish Krona or the equivalent of 2,750 dollars per month. The average income in Essex is also depending on the skill set and the nature of the job in question; however, the average wage is £26,000. Both Essex and Stockholm are fairly expensive to live in. According to the University of Stockholm, the living expenses of an international student could be around $1,000 or 8,510 Krona while the cost of living for international students in Essex could total £1,000. Although, the personal choices and habits of the individual tourists could either minimize or overshoot the living expenses. Economic factors such as inflation could also play a key role in deciding the living expenses. There are opportunities to make money in Sweden with a lot of typical opportunities tourists and citizens can benefit from. 

Essex and Sweden are great European cities and you wouldn’t be wrong settling down in either country. Both have tourist potentials as well as economic opportunities you can leverage upon. You can relocate to Essex and enjoy the splendor of ancient England or go to Stockholm and experience firsthand the Svenne culture.