I had been to Stockholm once before but only for a day and only for a concert, so I wasn’t able to form a complete opinion. Being back here has reminded me of how awesome I forgot it was.

Atmosphere

Stockholm strikes me as Copenhagen’s richer, classier older brother. It’s a gorgeous city that sprawls over several islands, which is nice because I love to be around water and bridges. Everything offers a stunning view, but it feels kind of sterile. It’s perfect in the way that Vienna is perfect; so beautiful to look at that you almost feel bad about inhabiting it. I don’t get the same warm vibe here that I do in Copenhagen, but I do think it would be a lovely place to live. That being said, it definitely has the potential to be depressing.

People

I have to admit, Swedes intimidate the hell out of me. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re so attractive that I feel like I’m walking around in a GQ catalog or that they have really intense piercing eyes. I’m not sure what it is, but it scares me and I’m obsessed with it. I don’t get intimidated easily so it’s quite refreshing. But despite their flawless style and their intense looks, they’re actually very friendly and helpful.

Food

There are two things I love about restaurants: food and design. I can’t believe how beautiful even casual restaurants are here. It’s nice that the birthplace of IKEA stays light years ahead of the cheap bullshit that is in everyone’s living room. And the food is spectacular. Even if you’re having a fast food burger from Max, all meals are worthy of 5 starts on Yelp. On the whole I think Scandinavians take dining to a whole other level. France and Italy have great food, but they’ve been doing the same things with food since the beginning of time. In Sweden, they are doing things with food you would never even conceive. But if you don’t want caviar on a bed of salmon foam, there’s always meatballs.

Cost

As amazing as all of that sounds, it’s really hard to get over the fact that a single ride on the Metro costs $4. And if you’re going to the airport, you’re paying $30 each way for a 20 minute train ride. Those Swedish meatballs will also cost you a pretty penny. You can’t even eat fast food without spending $10. Apartments will easily run you $800-1000. Even if it’s amazing, everything here costs way too much money.

Total Livability Score: 7/10

Stockholm would probably be a great place to live if I had a million dollar loan from my parents to start a new life. If I ever come up on large sums money, this definitely ranks as a great place to live.