The Nordic countries differ in the details that change a trip: price, currency, border rules, where you can pitch a tent and where you can buy wine. Here they are side by side, matched to what you want from the trip.
When you need this
Sweden is on your shortlist next to Denmark or Finland, or you want to see two Nordic countries on one trip. Maybe you are budgeting and have heard that “Scandinavia is expensive”, or you are planning a hiking, camping or campervan trip and wondering whether Sweden’s famous right to roam applies next door. This page compares the five countries on the facts. For Sweden against Norway in depth, read Sweden or Norway? An honest comparison.
The five countries at a glance
| Sweden | Finland | Denmark | Norway | Iceland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price level 2025 (EU = 100) | 121 | 121 | 140 | 129 | 174 |
| Currency | krona (SEK) | euro | krone (DKK) | krone (NOK) | króna (ISK) |
| EU member | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Schengen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tent on most land for a night | Yes, a night or two | Yes, temporarily | Only in 275 state forests | Yes, up to two nights, 150 m from homes | One night, on uncultivated land |
| State alcohol monopoly | Systembolaget | Alko | None | Vinmonopolet | Vínbúðin |
There is no “best” Nordic country. There is only a better fit for what you want to do, and the sections below show which rows matter for which goal.
What things cost
Eurostat measures price levels for household consumption against an EU average of 100. In its 2025 figures, published in June 2026, Sweden and Finland sit level at about 121. Norway is at 129, Denmark at 140, the highest in the EU, and Iceland at 174. That is a spread of more than 50 points across a region usually lumped together as “expensive”.
The overall figure hides big differences by category, and for a traveler the categories matter more:
| Category (2025, EU = 100) | Sweden | Finland | Denmark | Norway | Iceland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and accommodation | 123 | 122 | 142 | 140 | 173 |
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks | 110 | 108 | 121 | 133 | 156 |
| Alcoholic drinks | 150 | 207 | 122 | 226 | 298 |
| Passenger transport | 145 | 147 | 159 | 167 | 177 |
Two things stand out. Denmark is the dearest country overall but the cheapest of the five for alcohol. Finland matches Sweden overall but prices alcohol far higher. For eating out and hotels, Sweden and Finland are close together, well below Denmark and Norway.
These are relative price levels, not a daily budget. And Sweden’s grocery figure dates from before 1 April 2026, when Swedish VAT on food fell from 12% to 6%; restaurant meals stay at 12%. For what a Swedish trip actually costs per day, see what a trip to Sweden costs.
Money, borders and your phone
Currency. Only Finland uses the euro, and has since 1999. Sweden uses the krona, and Denmark and Norway each have their own krone. Iceland has the króna. A trip through several countries can involve four different currencies besides the euro. Denmark has an opt-out from the euro; Sweden has committed to join once it meets the conditions. Rates float, so they are not published here.
Borders. All five countries are in the Schengen area, so there is normally no passport control between them. Iceland and Norway take part without being EU members. The exception to “no control” is Sweden itself. It runs temporary checks on all its internal borders, currently decided from 12 May to 11 November 2026, and police check arrivals from Denmark. Carry a passport or national ID card on any crossing into Sweden. A passport is the document that always works. See the Öresund trains for how the check works on the train.
Customs. Norway is outside the EU, and it applies its own quotas for alcohol and tobacco at the border even though you cross without passport control. The allowances are covered on the Sweden or Norway page.
Phones. If your SIM is from the EU or EEA, Roam Like At Home covers Iceland and Norway as well as the three EU countries. You don’t need a local SIM anywhere in the region. More on roaming in Sweden.
Camping and the right to roam
This is where the countries differ most, and where a plan built on Sweden’s rules can go wrong next door.
Sweden. Allemansrätten, the right of public access, lets you pitch a tent on most land for a night or two, with a few tents, without asking. Motorhomes and caravans fall outside it, although a tent beside them does not. The details are in wild camping in Sweden and Sweden’s right of public access.
Norway. The rules are close to Sweden’s but fixed in numbers. You may tent at least 150 m from the nearest inhabited house or cabin, for up to two nights in one place, and longer in high mountains or far from settlements.
Finland. Everyone’s right, as Finland’s Ministry of the Environment calls it, allows temporary camping at a reasonable distance from homes without the landowner’s permission. The difference that catches visitors is fire: a campfire is not part of the right and needs the landowner’s permission.
Denmark. Free tenting is a state-forest scheme, not a general right. It is allowed in 275 designated state forests, for one night, with at most two tents of the three-person type. Elsewhere access is narrower: in private forests you may cycle on roads and paths only from 6 a.m. to sunset. Almost all beaches are open on foot around the clock.
Iceland. A traditional tent may stand for one night on uncultivated land along public routes in inhabited areas. Longer stays, more than three tents or cultivated land need the landowner’s permission. Sleeping in a camper van, caravan or tent trailer outside organized campsites or urban areas is illegal without permission, under Iceland’s Nature Conservation Act.
Buying alcohol
Four of the five countries sell stronger drinks only through a state monopoly shop:
| Country | Monopoly shop | Ordinary shops may sell |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Systembolaget | Up to 3.5% ABV |
| Finland | Alko | Fermented drinks up to 8%, others up to 5.5% (since 10 June 2024) |
| Norway | Vinmonopolet | Up to 4.7% |
| Iceland | Vínbúðin | Not covered here |
| Denmark | None | Alcohol is sold in supermarkets |
Finland’s 8% limit dates only from 10 June 2024, so older guides may give a lower figure. Finnish farm wine and craft beer can also be sold at their production site at higher strengths. For how the Swedish shop works, see how Systembolaget works.
Choosing by goal
| If your goal is… | What the facts say |
|---|---|
| The lowest price level | Sweden and Finland are level; Finland was slightly cheaper for food in 2025, Sweden is cheaper for alcohol |
| Eating out and hotels on a budget | Sweden and Finland at about 122–123, against about 140 in Denmark and Norway and 173 in Iceland |
| Wild camping in a tent | Sweden and Norway have the broadest tent rights; Finland’s are similar but without fires; Denmark and Iceland are narrower |
| A campervan trip | Sweden puts motorhomes outside allemansrätten; Iceland bans overnight stays outside campsites without permission |
| Wine and beer at lower prices | Denmark has the lowest alcohol price level and no monopoly |
| Using one currency | Only Finland uses the euro |
| Two countries without flying | Sweden with Denmark, Finland or Norway by train or ferry — see below |
Combining Sweden with its neighbors
The easy pairs follow the map, and each links to a region of Sweden.
- Denmark and Skåne. Copenhagen Airport to Malmö takes about 20 minutes by regional train, with a Swedish ID check on the way in. This is the simplest two-country trip in the region. See the Öresund trains and Copenhagen Airport as a gateway to Sweden.
- Finland and Stockholm. Overnight ferries sail from Stockholm to Helsinki and Turku, both calling in the Åland Islands. More in getting to Sweden.
- Norway and the west. Direct trains run Oslo–Gothenburg in about 3.5 hours, and since 15 June 2026 a daily train has run Malmö–Gothenburg–Oslo. See trains to Sweden.
- Arctic Norway and Lapland. The night train runs Stockholm–Narvik. Trafikverket’s contract for December 2026 to 2028 requires at least one daily return trip. See the night train to Lapland.
- Finland and the Bothnian north. Since 10 August 2026, 28 trains a week run Oulu–Kemi–Tornio–Haparanda in about 1.5 hours. Finland is one hour ahead of Sweden, so check connection times in local time.
Iceland is in the Schengen area too, so there is normally no passport control between it and Sweden.
Practical information
| Item | Detail | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Household price level 2025 (EU = 100) | Sweden 121.0 · Finland 120.8 · Norway 128.6 · Denmark 139.7 · Iceland 173.5 | 2026-09-25 |
| Restaurants and accommodation 2025 | Finland 121.7 · Sweden 123.4 · Norway 139.7 · Denmark 142.0 · Iceland 173.2 | 2026-09-25 |
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks 2025 | Finland 107.5 · Sweden 109.9 · Denmark 120.5 · Norway 133.1 · Iceland 155.8 (Sweden before its April 2026 food VAT cut) | 2026-09-25 |
| Alcoholic drinks 2025 | Denmark 122.4 · Sweden 149.8 · Finland 207.3 · Norway 226.4 · Iceland 298.2 | 2026-09-25 |
| Passenger transport 2025 | Sweden 144.8 · Finland 147.3 · Denmark 158.5 · Norway 167.4 · Iceland 177.1 | 2026-09-25 |
| Sweden’s internal border control | 12 May – 11 November 2026 | 2026-09-24 |
| Exchange rates, ferry and train fares | Floating or dynamic; check with the bank or operator | — |
FAQ
Is Sweden cheaper than Denmark, Finland or Norway?
Cheaper than Denmark, Norway and Iceland, and level with Finland. Eurostat’s 2025 household price levels, with the EU average at 100, put Sweden at 121, Finland at 121, Norway at 129, Denmark at 140 and Iceland at 174. Categories differ: in 2025 Finland was slightly cheaper for food, Sweden for alcohol, and Denmark is the cheapest of the five for alcohol.
Which Nordic countries use the euro?
Only Finland, which has been in the euro area since 1999. Sweden uses the krona, Denmark and Norway each have their own krone, and Iceland has the króna, so a trip through several countries can involve four currencies besides the euro. Denmark has an opt-out from the euro; Sweden has committed to join once it meets the conditions.
Can I combine Sweden with Denmark or Finland in one trip?
Yes, easily. Copenhagen Airport and Malmö are about 20 minutes apart by regional train, so southern Sweden and Copenhagen combine well. For Finland, overnight ferries sail from Stockholm to Helsinki and Turku via the Åland Islands. In the far north, Finnish trains run to Haparanda on the Swedish border.
Do I need a passport to travel between the Nordic countries?
All five countries are in the Schengen area, so there is normally no passport control between them. Sweden, however, is running temporary checks at its internal borders until at least 11 November 2026, and police check arrivals from Denmark. Carry a passport or national ID card; a passport is the document that always works.
Can I wild camp in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland like in Sweden?
Partly. Finland and Norway have similar rights: temporary camping in Finland, and up to two nights 150 m from homes in Norway. Denmark allows free tenting only in 275 designated state forests, one night at a time. Iceland allows one night in a tent on uncultivated land but bans overnight stays in campervans outside campsites without permission.
Where can I buy alcohol in the Nordic countries?
Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland all sell stronger drinks only through state monopoly shops: Systembolaget, Alko, Vinmonopolet and Vínbúðin. Ordinary shops may sell only weaker drinks: up to 3.5% in Sweden, up to 4.7% in Norway, and fermented drinks up to 8% in Finland. Denmark has no monopoly, and its supermarkets sell alcohol.
Related guides
- Sweden or Norway? An honest comparison — the in-depth head-to-head this page leaves out
- How to plan a trip to Sweden — the order of operations once Sweden is chosen
- What a trip to Sweden costs — from price levels to a daily budget
- The Öresund trains — the 20-minute link between Copenhagen and Sweden
- When to book a Sweden trip — which bookings have a deadline
Facts verified 2026-09-25. Sources: Eurostat, the European Union and European Commission, Sveriges Riksbank, Naturvårdsverket, Miljødirektoratet, Finland’s Ministry of the Environment, Naturstyrelsen, Umhverfisstofnun, Sveriges Riksdag, Lovdata, Valvira, Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Regeringen, Trafikverket, Skatteverket — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.