How to save money if you’re under 26 in Sweden

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Sweden is a great place to be a young professional. Flat hierarchies typically offer you more responsibility and more access to senior colleagues than in many other countries, while the famous focus on work-life balance allows you time to enjoy hobbies and socializing outside the office.

But there's no denying it's an expensive place to live, and while many Swedes stay in full-time education until they're 26 or older (and therefore can benefit from a wide range of student offers), young foreign professionals might struggle to adjust to the high prices of housing, alcohol, coffee, and well, just about everything.

Here are some of the discounts available to anyone who has not yet reached their 26th birthday.

Technology

Several phone networks offer discounts to young adults, including Tre, Telia, and Telenor. All three of these are actually valid until you turn 27, so that's an extra year of cheap calls and data.

Healthcare

In many areas of Sweden, contraceptive pills are free or reduced if you're under 26 years old. Swedish healthcare is run by regions, so you'll need to find out what the exact rules are where you live. Note: they're completely free across the country if you're younger than 21.

If you're aged between 22 and 29, your annual dental care contribution is 600 kronor, double the amount for older adults.

Going to the dentist is never exactly fun, but at least you can save a bit of money. Photo: Bertil Ericson/SCANPIX

Culture

Check out a play at Stockholm's Dramaten theatre, where tickets are just 150 kronor for under-26-year-olds – that's more than half the usual price! Other 50 percent off tickets are available at Stockholm's Dansens Hus and Konserthuset.

And check for discounts at your local cinema too: both Visby's Folkets Bio and Stockholm's vintage Bio Rio offer reduced tickets if you're aged 25 or younger.

If you're more of an outdoorsy person, joining the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (Naturskyddsföreningen) costs more than 30 percent less for young adults, giving you perks including reduced rates on hiring summer houses, free activities, and more.

Travel

SJ offers special rates on its regional and long-distance trains, with 15 percent off all tickets and occasional boosted discounts for off-peak or last minute routes. When you're on board you can take advantage of seasonal offers. Until 31st December 2018, that means a hot drink for just 10 kronor, including a refill!

Sweden's other train companies have generous offers too: Tågkompaniet offers a 25 percent reduction on tickets and Snälltåget offers up to 19 percent off its long distance routes (book using the 'student' option to get your offer).

Åre in Jämtland is a great location you can reach by train. Photo: Niclas Vestefjell/imagebank.sweden.se

Travelling by bus is another option, with 20 percent off all Swebus tickets. But even if you're travelling by plane, you could be able to save money. BRA, which runs domestic routes, and SAS, which flies both within Sweden and internationally, offer discounts for travellers under 26, which sometimes amount to hefty reductions. Norwegian also offers youth tickets on its flights within Sweden and the Nordics.

If you're in Stockholm, you can even get a reduced rate on travel to and from the airport, with the Arlanda Express offering 130 kronor off single tickets for under-26-year-old travellers. This offer makes this usually pricey travel option almost as cheap as taking public transport, which requires a much longer journey including a change.

Several local and regional transport networks offer discounts to young adults too, so it's worth checking if you're eligible for a discount on your commute or travel card.

Admin

When you're young and on a budget, it's often those annoying unexciting expenses that take you by surprise.

You can use Adressändring at a half-price rate, allowing you to have post forwarded if your address changes or to stop receiving it temporarily if you'll be away for a while.

Housing

Depending on where you live, it may be possible to get a discounted rent due to your age.

This won't be possible in the major cities, where queues for rent-controlled housing are long and your best bet for saving on rent is to move further out of town or share an apartment with flatmates, but if you're living more rurally, several housing cooperatives, including Dorotea Hus in Västerbotten, Olofstromshus in Blekinge, and Hoforshus in Gävleborg, will give you a young person's discount.