I'm cheap but Stockholm is Expensive

Before my move to Sweden. I had heard 3 things again and again about Sweden.

(1) It's expensive.
(2) They speak lots of English over there.
(3) Swedish girls are hot, the guys are even hotter, mind me.

It's definitely expensive. But I am still without a full-time job. That means I’m cheap. So, come with me to see how expensive is Stockholm,

Open bank account: Free
Bank account with internet: 200 SEK (€20)
Bank account with card: 135 SEK (€14)

Coffee shop
Cup of Coffee/Tea: 30 SEK (€3) or higher in tourist area

Night out
Club entrance: 100 SEK (€10) or higher, I was charged 200 SEK (€20) once
Hanging your jacket: 20 SEK (€2)
Beer: 60 SEK (€6)
Get drunk: Priceless

Metro or subway
A ride: 40 SEK (€4), even though its only 1 minute ride and max up 60 SEK (€6) for 20 minutes ride
Monthly ticket: 690 SEK up to 1350 SEK (€70 to €140)

Rent
My room: 4500 SEK (€450)
Internet at 25MB : 400 SEK (€40)
Internet cable: 90 SEK (€9)
DVD Movie: 150 SEK (€15)

Groceries
Groceries tend to be a place where I think I can save a lot of money. Usually, this is no problem. In Malaysia I had figured out what kind of cheap foods still tasted good. Not here in Sweden though. Not even close.

Mee goreng in the box: 80SEK (€8)
Banana: 10 SEK maybe for 2 pieces (€1)
Eggs: 25 SEK for 6 pieces (€2.50)
Bread: 25 SEK a loaf (€2.50)

Having discussed this with plenty of people, mostly a few of my buddies and I have decided that there are more absolutely gorgeous people in Sweden. I’d say that percentage wise Swedes have the more amount of just absolutely beautiful people. These are the ridiculous girls you see walking down the street and can’t help but turn your head, or the guy in the bar that always gets the extra look from the girls walking by. It’s just that the average person in Sweden is better looking (studies have been done, I’m sure of it so feel free to take this as absolute fact). These are the good looking people you’re going on date and marry, like mine.

The Swedes love English. They will speak it at the drop of a hat. Countless times I have walked into stores, restaurants, places of business and been greeted with English, “Hello, how can I help you” stuff like that. I seem to confuse people when I go right into Swedish. Sometimes I take it as a bit of an insult. I have worked hard to speak Swedish well so I don’t want to speak English to Swedes. But really the Swedes just want to use their English.

They start learning the language in elementary school and basically study it all through their educational careers. You’d be hard pressed to find a Swede who doesn’t speak English. Especially in Stockholm. Swedish TV is dominated by English speaking programming. English slang is used everywhere. With even little kids saying “shit” and “fuck” which still throws me for a loop (I always have this overwhelming desire to grab them and wash their mouths out with soap). Movies are shown here in their original languages so English language movies just have subtitles.

English is everywhere. Which might be why this country is so attractive to people who want to move to Europe but just don’t want to move to English speaking Europe. They want that feeling of being in a different country with a different language without having to worry too much about getting around. And that’s fair enough. Just remember though, if you make the move at least make an effort to get a base knowledge. It helps. And you won’t miss out on so much, like the news, and funny conversations people have on the trains, and what in the hell the bus driver is saying on the horrible intercom.