💰 Quick Context: The Swedish Krona
Sweden uses the Swedish Krona (SEK / kr). A coffee costs 50–70 kr, a restaurant meal 150–300 kr, and a hotel night 1,000–2,500 kr. Quick math: divide by 11 for a rough USD estimate (e.g., 1,100 SEK ≈ US$100). Check the current SEK/USD rate before your trip. Sweden is arguably the most cashless country on Earth, so a contactless card is essential.
🎧 Order Swedish Krona Before You Fly
Have cash in hand when you land. Insured delivery, 2–5 day shipping.
Order SEK → CEI Currency ExchangeCash vs. Card: What to Expect in Sweden
Sweden is arguably the most cashless country on Earth. Many businesses refuse cash entirely. Public transit in Stockholm does not accept cash. Some Swedish banks no longer handle cash at all. A contactless card is not just convenient here, it is essential.
Cards are king: Contactless payments work at virtually every shop, restaurant, café, supermarket, and kiosk. Many places have "No Cash" signs on the door
Cash is disappearing: Only about 1% of Sweden's GDP is transacted in cash. Some businesses will turn you away if you try to pay with banknotes
Public transport: Stockholm's SL system is entirely cashless. You need a contactless card, the SL app, or a prepaid SL Access card
How much to carry: 200–500 kr is purely for emergencies. Many visitors go their entire trip without using cash
How to Get Kronor for Your Sweden Trip
Sweden is the most cashless country in the world: cash settles roughly 1% of GDP, several Stockholm restaurants and museums refuse banknotes outright, and Swish (the domestic mobile-pay app) plus contactless cards handle nearly everything else. The SL transit system in Stockholm is entirely cashless. The cash holdouts are tiny: occasional flea-market stalls (Södermalm flea market, Hornstull market), a handful of Stockholm Old Town buskers, and a few rural craft fairs. You'll likely use less SEK cash here than in any country on this list, but a 200–500 SEK reserve is still a sensible emergency stash. Two cheap ways to get it: pre-order before takeoff or pull from a Bankomat after landing.
Order kronor before you fly
For pre-arrival SEK, two paths. A currency-exchange service like CEI Currency Exchange ships physical Swedish kronor to a US address with insured 2–5 day delivery, at a small spread over the bank rate. Worth doing here precisely because Swedish bank ATMs have thinned out so dramatically: a single envelope of 500–1,000 SEK covers a fortnight of edge cases without any in-country withdrawal at all. Your home bank can also order SEK (Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi all stock it as a flagship currency), free for many premium accounts and a modest fee otherwise. Allow 3–7 business days. Sweden does not have a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so BoA debit users will pay BoA's standard 3% non-network fee on Swedish ATM withdrawals. The cleanest setup for almost any Sweden trip: a Wise or Charles Schwab card to handle 99% of payments contactlessly (the SL app and most museums prefer cards anyway), plus a small CEI envelope of kronor as the once-a-trip emergency cash.
Withdraw from a Bankomat ATM
Once you're in Sweden, the cheapest source of kronor is the Bankomat network: ATMs operated jointly by Swedbank, Handelsbanken, SEB, Nordea, and Danske Bank under the Bankomaterna AB brand. Bankomat machines give the actual interbank rate with no markup and don't add an operator fee on foreign cards. Your only cost is whatever your home bank charges (1–3% foreign transaction fee on most US debit cards, zero with a Wise or Charles Schwab card). Bankomat ATMs cluster around Stockholm Central Station, T-Centralen, in shopping centres (NK, MOOD, Westfield Mall of Scandinavia), and at airports (ARN Stockholm Arlanda); coverage thins fast in residential neighborhoods compared to other European capitals. Avoid the standalone Forex Bank machines that have moved into the gap; they add operator fees and push DCC by default. Decline DCC every time the screen offers "charge in USD". See the Best ATMs section below for the bank-by-bank lineup, or our Stockholm money guide for neighborhood-level locations. Want to know what a Bankomat withdrawal will actually cost on your specific card? Plug it into our ATM fee calculator.
Airport counters & "0% commission" booths
Three traps to walk past in Sweden. The Forex Bank counters in arrivals at ARN (Stockholm Arlanda), GOT (Gothenburg), and MMX (Malmö) advertise rates that look reasonable but routinely run 5–12% off the interbank rate, plus a fixed fee. The downtown Forex windows along Drottninggatan in Stockholm, around the Sergels Torg pedestrian zone, and inside the Stockholm Central Station hall use the "no commission" framing while baking the markup straight into the displayed rate; Forex's USD-to-SEK spread is reliably worse than what Bankomat would cost. And the standalone Forex-branded ATMs and a few independent Euronet machines that have appeared around Gamla Stan (Old Town), the Vasa Museum area, and along Strandvägen layer DCC pitches and operator fees on top. Stick to Bankomat machines, decline DCC, and the simplest path is honestly to pay everything with a Wise card and skip the cash question. Heading to Stockholm or Gothenburg? Our Stockholm and Gothenburg money guides walk the cleanest cash strategy.
For a side-by-side comparison of every method (bank wire, travel card, pre-order, ATM, exchange counter) including USD-to-SEK timing tips, see our complete Getting Currency guide →.
Best ATMs to Use in Sweden
Sweden's major banks operate ATMs (called "Bankomat" or "Uttagsautomat") across the country. These machines use fair exchange rates and do not charge operator fees for foreign card withdrawals. Your home bank may still charge its own foreign transaction fee. Always choose SEK when prompted.
SEB
One of Sweden's largest banks with widespread ATM coverage. Found in cities, towns, airports, and shopping centres across the country.
Recommended
Nordea
Major Nordic bank with excellent ATM coverage throughout Sweden. Reliable machines with straightforward interfaces and fair exchange rates.
Recommended
Swedbank
Sweden's largest retail bank by customer count. Extensive ATM network especially strong in smaller towns and rural areas.
RecommendedHandelsbanken
One of Sweden's oldest banks with branches and ATMs across the country. Known for conservative banking practices and reliable service.
Recommended⚠ Watch Out for Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)
When an ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in USD instead of SEK, always decline. Choosing USD means accepting a 3–5% markup hidden in their exchange rate. Some terminals near Gamla Stan, at Arlanda Airport, and in Gothenburg's Avenyn area push DCC automatically. Always select "SEK" or "local currency" at every prompt.
ATMs to Avoid in Sweden
Independent ATMs are less common in Sweden than in southern Europe, but they do exist at airports and tourist hotspots. Stick to the major bank ATMs listed above.
Euronet
Found near Stockholm Central Station, Arlanda Airport, and Gothenburg's central area. Known for aggressive DCC prompts, poor exchange rates, and high fees. Walk past and find a Swedish bank ATM instead.
AvoidStandalone ATMs in Tourist Areas
Independent machines in Gamla Stan (Stockholm's Old Town) and other tourist hotspots. These typically charge extra fees and push DCC prompts with inflated exchange rates.
AvoidPaying by Card in Sweden
Card Networks
Visa and Mastercard are accepted virtually everywhere in Sweden, from corner shops to street food vendors
American Express is accepted at many hotels, larger restaurants, and chain stores, but smaller businesses may decline it. Do not rely on Amex as your only card
Discover has very limited acceptance in Sweden. Not recommended as a travel card here
Contactless & Mobile Payments
Contactless is the default: Swedes tap to pay for almost everything. It is the expected payment method at most businesses
Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely accepted at most terminals throughout the country
No minimum purchase: You can tap to pay for even the smallest transactions. Buying a single coffee with a card is completely normal
Where Cards May Not Work
Flea markets: Some individual sellers at outdoor flea markets (loppis) may be cash-only, though many now use Swish (see below)
Very rural areas: Remote countryside areas may occasionally have connectivity issues for card processing
The opposite problem: You are far more likely to encounter a business that refuses cash than one that refuses cards
Tipping in Sweden
Tipping Guide
Tipping is not expected in Sweden. Service is included in the price. Workers earn good wages and do not rely on tips
Restaurants: Rounding up the bill is common (e.g., 387 kr to 400 kr). For exceptional service, 5–10% is generous but not expected
Cafés: No tip expected
Taxis: No tip expected. Rounding up is fine
Hotels: Not customary to tip porters, concierge, or housekeeping
Swish & Sweden's Cash-Free Future
Things to Know
For city-specific tips, see our Stockholm and Gothenburg money guides. Each covers neighborhood-level card acceptance, ATM locations, transport payments, and local spending tips.
Swish dominates: Swish is Sweden's mobile payment app, used by over 95% of Swedes. It connects directly to bank accounts for instant payments between people and at businesses
Tourists can't use Swish: You need a Swedish bank account and personal number (personnummer) to set up Swish. But your contactless Visa or Mastercard works at the same terminals
Stockholm is fully cashless: Stockholm's public transport system (SL) does not accept cash at all. Use a contactless card directly on the reader, buy tickets in the SL app, or get a prepaid SL Access card
"No Cash" is normal: Some restaurants, shops, and even churches have signs saying "Vi tar inte kontanter" (We do not take cash). This is not unusual in Sweden
The Riksbank debate: Sweden's central bank has been studying an e-krona (digital currency) for years. Sweden is the closest country in the world to going fully cashless
Money Safety in Sweden
Staying Safe
Sweden is extremely safe. Violent crime is very rare, and theft targeting tourists is uncommon
Standard precautions apply in crowded spots like Stockholm's Gamla Stan, T-Centralen station, and Sergels Torg. Keep your phone and wallet secure on public transport
Carry a second card in a separate location. Sweden is so cashless that losing your only card means you cannot buy a fika, ride the T-bana, or pay for your hotel. Keep your backup in your hotel safe, not your wallet.
Sweden is a major European destination and most banks process Swedish transactions without issue. Fraud holds are rare, but if you use a small regional bank, a quick notification before departure does not hurt.
If you do carry cash, keep it minimal. Since you will rarely need it, there is no reason to carry large amounts
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash in Sweden?
Almost never. Sweden is arguably the most cashless country on Earth. Many businesses refuse cash entirely, and some have "No Cash" signs on the door. Only about 1% of transactions use cash. Keep 200–500 kr purely for emergencies. A contactless card is essential.
What is Swish and can tourists use it?
Swish is Sweden's dominant mobile payment app, used by over 95% of Swedes. It requires a Swedish bank account and personal number (personnummer), so tourists cannot use it. Your contactless Visa or Mastercard works everywhere that Swish does.
Can I pay cash on Stockholm public transport?
No. Stockholm's SL system is entirely cashless. Tap your contactless Visa or Mastercard directly on the reader at fare gates, buy tickets through the SL app, or get a prepaid SL Access card at Pressbyrån kiosks. Cash is not accepted on buses, trains, or the metro.
Is tipping expected in Sweden?
No. Service is included in the price and Swedish workers earn good wages. Rounding up the bill at restaurants is common (e.g., 387 kr to 400 kr). For exceptional service, 5–10% is generous but not expected. Cafés, taxis, and hotels do not expect tips.
Is Sweden expensive?
Yes. Coffee costs 50–70 kr ($4.50–6.30), a restaurant meal 150–300 kr ($14–27), a pint of beer 70–90 kr ($6–8), and a hotel night 1,000–2,500 kr ($90–225). Supermarkets (ICA, Coop, Willys) and fika (coffee-and-pastry breaks) at bakeries help keep costs manageable.
Does Sweden use the euro?
No. Sweden uses the Swedish Krona (SEK). While Sweden is in the EU, it has not adopted the euro. Euros are not accepted at most businesses. Use your card (contactless preferred) or withdraw SEK from a Bankomat ATM.
Spend Swedish Kronor Like a Local
The Wise card converts your money at the real mid-market exchange rate. No markups, no surprises. Tap to pay everywhere in Sweden.
Get the Wise Card →Quick Comparison
| Method | Cost | Convenience | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-FX-fee card (contactless) | Best (no fees, mid-market rate) | ★★★★★ | Primary and often only method needed |
| Bank ATMs (SEB, Nordea, Swedbank) | Low (no operator fee, fair rate) | ★★★★★ | Emergency cash |
| Regular card with FX fees | Medium (1–3% FX fee) | ★★★★☆ | If no fee-free card available |
| Euronet / tourist ATMs | High (fees + poor rates + DCC) | ★★☆☆☆ | Avoid |
| Airport exchange counters | Highest (5–12% markup) | ★☆☆☆☆ | Emergency only |
Sweden Quick Facts
| Currency | Swedish Krona (SEK / kr). Divide by 11 for rough USD estimate |
| Cash vs. Card | Most cashless country in the world. Many businesses refuse cash |
| Best ATMs | SEB, Nordea, Swedbank, Handelsbanken |
| Contactless | Universal. The default way to pay everywhere |
| Tipping | Not expected. Rounding up at restaurants is common |
| DCC Risk | Moderate. Always choose SEK at ATMs and card terminals |
| Best Strategy | No-FX-fee contactless card for nearly everything. Cash rarely needed |
Sweden City Guides
Neighborhood-level money guides for Sweden's biggest cities. Where to find ATMs, which areas need cash, how to pay for transport, and more.