Considering relocating to Scandinavia: advice please!
Apr 22nd 2013, 7:18 pm
#1
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1
Considering relocating to Scandinavia: advice please!
Hi
My husband and I are researching the idea of relocating to a capital city in Scandinavia, probably Copenhagen. We have a nearly 2 year old daughter and probably will have another baby in the next couple of years or so. We are in our mid 30s, live in south west london, and work as a management consultant and part-time civil servant respectively.
Our reasoning is:
- we don't want to live in London for much longer, but would like to continue to live in a vibrant city
- we have no particular ties to the uk and have both lived abroad in our 20s and would like to do so again, but don't want to go too far
- the outdoor lifestyle and much more family friendly working hours hugely appeal: we both work 12 hours a day at the moment and so only see each other, and our daughter, at the weekend.
- childcare appears to be a quarter of the cost of london (but of course we know it's more expensive to live there).
- we have visited copenhagen before and loved in.
- we quite like cold weather!
I've been surfing some expat sites but can't work out the answer to the following questions:
- are there lots of strategy/management consultancies or similarly international companies that might employ someone who doesn't speak danish
-what options might i have if i wanted to work part time whilst my children are young
- how hard is it to get your child into day care, and what about school
- how is the quality of schooling compared to private schools in the uk.
- what are our housing options/how easy is it to find something
- is there a website somewhere that will give us comparative costs of housing, wages in different industries etc.
Grateful for any advice that you can offer!
Thanks, Alex.
My husband and I are researching the idea of relocating to a capital city in Scandinavia, probably Copenhagen. We have a nearly 2 year old daughter and probably will have another baby in the next couple of years or so. We are in our mid 30s, live in south west london, and work as a management consultant and part-time civil servant respectively.
Our reasoning is:
- we don't want to live in London for much longer, but would like to continue to live in a vibrant city
- we have no particular ties to the uk and have both lived abroad in our 20s and would like to do so again, but don't want to go too far
- the outdoor lifestyle and much more family friendly working hours hugely appeal: we both work 12 hours a day at the moment and so only see each other, and our daughter, at the weekend.
- childcare appears to be a quarter of the cost of london (but of course we know it's more expensive to live there).
- we have visited copenhagen before and loved in.
- we quite like cold weather!
I've been surfing some expat sites but can't work out the answer to the following questions:
- are there lots of strategy/management consultancies or similarly international companies that might employ someone who doesn't speak danish
-what options might i have if i wanted to work part time whilst my children are young
- how hard is it to get your child into day care, and what about school
- how is the quality of schooling compared to private schools in the uk.
- what are our housing options/how easy is it to find something
- is there a website somewhere that will give us comparative costs of housing, wages in different industries etc.
Grateful for any advice that you can offer!
Thanks, Alex.
Apr 22nd 2013, 9:15 pm
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7
Re: Considering relocating to Scandinavia: advice please!
Hi Ali,
Lots of good reasons I believe. I won't respond with Copenhagen in mind as I don't know it well. If you'd consider Stockholm instead the following would apply
- are there lots of strategy/management consultancies or similarly international companies that might employ someone who doesn't speak danish
McKinsey in Stockholm is one potential but there are several.
-what options might i have if i wanted to work part time whilst my children are young
One of the great benefits of living in Sweden is that child care costs a tenth of what it does in the UK. So yes, you'd have plenty of option, and there are many different nurseries to choose from.
- how hard is it to get your child into day care, and what about school
It is not difficult at all to get into day care. Some popular schools may be oversubscribed, and especially the English or international/bilingual ones.
- how is the quality of schooling compared to private schools in the uk.
Primary school is better in the UK. I think secondary schools are generally speaking better in Sweden, but not if you compare with grammar schools or private schools.
- what are our housing options/how easy is it to find something
Finding a good rental apartment in Stockholm is difficult. At least if you want have it more long term.
- is there a website somewhere that will give us comparative costs of housing, wages in different industries etc.
It is very difficult to compare what money you will have after all bills are paid between UK and Sweden. With children I think you're slightly better off in Sweden, even though the salaries are in general much lower.
Lots of good reasons I believe. I won't respond with Copenhagen in mind as I don't know it well. If you'd consider Stockholm instead the following would apply
- are there lots of strategy/management consultancies or similarly international companies that might employ someone who doesn't speak danish
McKinsey in Stockholm is one potential but there are several.
-what options might i have if i wanted to work part time whilst my children are young
One of the great benefits of living in Sweden is that child care costs a tenth of what it does in the UK. So yes, you'd have plenty of option, and there are many different nurseries to choose from.
- how hard is it to get your child into day care, and what about school
It is not difficult at all to get into day care. Some popular schools may be oversubscribed, and especially the English or international/bilingual ones.
- how is the quality of schooling compared to private schools in the uk.
Primary school is better in the UK. I think secondary schools are generally speaking better in Sweden, but not if you compare with grammar schools or private schools.
- what are our housing options/how easy is it to find something
Finding a good rental apartment in Stockholm is difficult. At least if you want have it more long term.
- is there a website somewhere that will give us comparative costs of housing, wages in different industries etc.
It is very difficult to compare what money you will have after all bills are paid between UK and Sweden. With children I think you're slightly better off in Sweden, even though the salaries are in general much lower.
