I am from India but I am living in Stockholm for my exchange studies in KTH. I would like to answer this question from a point of a non-European or an Indian.

• City: Though I haven't lived in lot of places, but compared to the cities I have lived in (Delhi in India, small city Coimbatore in South India, Heidelberg in Germany) Stockholm is a really beautiful city. The archipelago is amazing. The suburbs are pretty. The long quite roads are perfect for hitch-hiking and long drives. There are some interesting places in Stockholm where you can have a good scenic view of the city. The first thing that comes to mind is the sunrise or sunset in Sodermalm.
  
• Transport: I lived quite far from the city center. But getting there was never a problem. I had to take the pendeltag (commuter train) everyday which was a really pleasing experience, though it was inconvenient when the trains are cancelled or re-scheduled when it is snowing or cold. Except the peak hours they are never crowded (Trust me, after using the Metro in Delhi, and living in India I know what 'crowd' really is.) SL was a pleasure to use.
• People, of Stockholm is the ideal population I would like to have around me. When approached, they would definitely help you out. On the other hand, they are not at all disturbing. The trains and the roads are usual quiet and calm without much of chaos, except on Friday or Saturday nights when you can find drunk people around. I felt of sense of responsibility when dealing with the Stockholm people. I didn't want to hurt their feelings because they treated me in a way I wanted to be treated. The thing I really missed in Stockholm was crowds of people. Though I complain about India being crowded, I always felt that the liveliness of a place depended on how crowded it was. People of Stockholm are generally quiet, and since Sweden is scarcely populated (compared to India) you don't find much commotion around the city. This might be pleasing to others, but I felt I won't really get used to it on the long run.
  
• Cost of living, is extremely is expensive to me. Coming from India and being a student, I was used to a cheap lifestyle. In Stockholm, I have to pay about 8 times(or higher) the price I usually paid for in India. There are no exceptions to this. The cheapest student meal I could find in my campus was 56 SEK or 6.5 Euros, whereas I would have been able to manage a decent meal in a decent restaurant in India for about one-eighth the price. This was an irritating thing when I had to go over my bills and check my account to make sure that I am not spending too much.
  
• Climate. Snow is one thing which I have been looking forward to all my life. I was extremely ecstatic to see the first snow of the winters while the Swedes were constantly complaining about it. It would get really horrible in the winters. A month of peak winters would be really hard to survive for people who are used to the tropical climate. The summers are pleasant. Overall, weather is not something one should complain about.
  

In short, there is nothing much disturbing or irritating about Stockholm. Infact, I felt home in Stockholm and I know I would miss Stockholm a lot.

As an Indian living & working in Stockholm for last 5 years, let me share my perspective.

This answer will be applicable to Indians & most of the Asian countries.

1: Education: In Sweden the education is not completely free. for preschools till age 6, we need to pay an amount (roughly 300–1000 SEK) for international preschools. The same will be applicable to International schools, it will vary from school to school. It is free for bilingual and Swedish schools. So Asians who want to start their kids education in Swedish medium will get free education.

The quality of education is best either in Swedish/English. In Asian countries, we have mostly theory based, but here it is the opposite, mostly practical based.

2: Transportation: The transportation in Stockholm is one of the best in the world and it has 4 modes of transportation mainly Bus, Train, ferries & Airways.

sl.se is the operator in Stockholm and with a monthly pass of 950 SEK, we can travel to any part in Stockholm via Bus, Train & ferries.

3: Health: Now the major difference between any country and Sweden is the worlds best health felicities they provide at 0 price. My wife underwent a surgery with no fee in one of the major hospitals in Stockholm. Except dental all other things are free for adults. You need to have a Swedish personal number & Swedish Id card for availing all benefits.

4: Climate: Since, we come from a tropical or warm climate country and here the weather is quite opposite. For example .. In India, we have two/three months of winter and rest summer, here we get summer only for 3 months.

Stockholm fall into 4 climate zone: Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter.

Here we have different clothes, shoes for every season and kids need to adhere all kinds of clothes for schools, ex: Rain clothes including shoes, Snow clothes, Winter clothes.

5: Work Culture: Most of the European countries adhere to a strict 8am–5pm work time table. Saturdays and Sundays will be holidays for Schools, Offices, E-services and Clinics.

The work pressure is very less compared to Asian countries. Here we don’t have manager & employee relation instead, it will be all employees.

Everyone is treated as co-worker and interaction between Aged employees and Younger employees is mutual.

6: People: I cannot guarantee that Svenska people are friendly as they avoid gatherings and stick to their own life. We should never ever touch other people babies or kids, which we normally do in Asian countries, here it is treated as a minor offence.

They know English & Swedish, so communicating with them is not that hard.

Most of the City & Country is quite quiet and hardly you see people in streets. If you come from a crowded country, it feels very secluded or lonely for some period of time. Try to get acquaintances at work or with your kids friends parents or from communities.

7: Food: The food is quite costly here and there are lot of grocery stores available in every 1 km.

some of them are ICA, Lidl, Hemköp, Coop etc.

We do have Indian groceries but mostly they are termed as Middle east and Asian Groceries, where we get most of the spices and vegetables.

If you require more information of any other aspect, please comment it, so that I can provide more information.

Thanks & Regards,

Sandeep Neelam.

It would appear that immigrants who assimilate do quite well in Sweden. Although they speak English, learn the language if want to live there and if you are a Muslim, it helps if you are sensitive to your hosts in the practice of your religion, for instance, in neighboring Denmark, some Muslims demanded that pork should not be served in a school, instead of teaching their children how to avoid eating pork.

Generally, the swedes are a kind people, but it appears they were naive to admit more immigrants than they were prepared to assimilate. Now that Sweden is offering $35,000 to any immigrant (I assume unemployable) to leave the country (there are very few takers) in what can best be described as an act of desperation. One can imagine that there would be hostility towards foreigners because of current difficulties with certain immigrants, but that was not my experience when I visited a couple of years ago.

Having lived in Stockholm for close to 30 years in total, I still find the city a wonderful place. The winters can be harsh as the amount of water around the city can make for some bone-chilling cold, but the summers (when the sun is shining and the temperature is around 20°C) are spectacular.

One of the best things about the city is that it is possible to walk just about everywhere. It's large enough to have a number of good restaurants, bars, clubs and shopping, but not too big where the scale of the city is unmanageable. "Lagom" as we Swedes say!

I highly recommend walking in the city in the early morning in the spring and summer months when the sun begins to rise early. The combination of the breaking dawn together with the budding greenery and water is really something to behold.

As with anywhere one lives, the real beauty of the place is most noticed when one returns to it. The same is true with many of the things we Stockholmers complain about, such as the public transportation. After experiencing buses and metros outside of Stockholm, it is a welcome relief to take a ride on the rather excellent (though expensive) public transport that exists here.

The downsides are that the city is expensive comparatively and that Stockholmers can seem somewhat aloof and off-putting, but I don't think they are any worse than city dwellers anywhere, with the possible exceptions of not holding doors, public spitting and lemming-like attitude to fashion. Still, most are friendly and helpful to tourists, though not always so to fellow Stockholmers. A strange paradox perhaps.

Living in Stockholm, Sweden, offers a unique blend of natural beauty, modern design, and a high quality of life. The city is spread across 14 islands, connected by bridges and waterways, giving it a picturesque and scenic atmosphere. Public transportation is efficient, and it’s easy to get around by bus, metro, or even bike, making it very accessible.

The lifestyle in Stockholm balances work and personal life, with Swedes valuing time spent with family and enjoying outdoor activities. The city is known for its clean streets, green spaces, and proximity to nature, making it ideal for people who enjoy the outdoors. Winters can be long, cold, and dark, but summers are bright and pleasant, with long daylight hours.

As for being welcoming to foreigners, Stockholm is a multicultural city with a large expatriate community. English is widely spoken, so communication is rarely a barrier for newcomers. The city has a range of international schools, cultural organizations, and communities that help expatriates settle in. That said, making close friends with Swedes can sometimes take time, as they are known to be a bit reserved initially. However, once friendships are formed, they tend to be strong and lasting.

The social systems in Stockholm, such as healthcare and education, are well-developed and accessible, contributing to a good quality of life for residents. The work culture tends to emphasize equality, with flat hierarchies and a collaborative atmosphere in many workplaces.

Overall, Stockholm is considered a safe, clean, and welcoming city for foreigners, particularly those who are open to integrating into Swedish society and embracing the local culture.