Medical care

In general, Sweden’s health and medical care system maintains a high standard. All residents with a Swedish personal identity number receive state-subsidized health and dental care.

A visit to a doctor in Sweden costs around SEK 260, while a visit to a specialist or to a hospital emergency clinic costs about SEK 500. These fees are subsidized by the Swedish state—the actual cost for a typical visit is approximately SEK 3,000. Sweden also has a high‑cost protection system, meaning you pay a maximum of SEK 1,450 per year (2026) for healthcare. After reaching this amount, further care is free of charge

If you don’t have a Swedish personal identity number, please read more about your health insurance coverage in the section Medical and health insurance.

Children and young people under the age of 20 with a Swedish personal identity number receive free healthcare. This includes regular medical check-ups and vaccinations up to the age of five. Swedish childcare centres also support parents and arrange gatherings for new parents within their local area. Contact your local centre for more information

Learn more about the Swedish health care system at 1177's website

Emergencies – dial 112

This is the emergency number to call for an ambulance, the fire brigade and the police. You will be asked to explain what has happened, where it has happened, and the number which you are calling from.

Medical advisory service (Sjukvårdsrådgivningen)

For non‑emergency situations, you can call 1177 to speak with a registered nurse who can give medical advice and refer you to the nearest appropriate clinic. The service is open 24/7. You can also visit www.1177.se.

Local Health Clinic (Vårdcentral)

The local health clinics are usually open only weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm.

Local Emergency Ward (Närakuten)

In Uppsala, the Local Emergency Ward at Samariterhemmet is open on weekends and evenings. This is the first place to visit for non-emergency medical care when your Local Health Clinic is closed. Phone: 1177.

In Visby, you are advised to call 1177 for a consultation on where to go.

Hospitals (sjukhus)

For urgent medical care, you may need to visit the hospital. In Uppsala, the Uppsala Academic University Hospital (Akademiska sjukhuset) is one of Sweden’s leading university hospitals and is centrally located just south of Uppsala castle. Tel.: 018-611 00 00.

Visby has one of Europe’s most modern hospitals, located at St Göransgatan 5. Tel.: 0498-26 90 00.

Medication

Prescriptions and over-the-counter medicine are available at pharmacies (apotek). Over-the-counter medicine can also be found at larger grocery stores, near the cashiers. Pharmacies are open during normal shopping hours, although some may be closed on weekends. The pharmacy at the University hospital is open after hours.

In Sweden there is a system to protect against high cost regarding prescription medicine, in which you pay up to SEK 3,800 per year (2025) yourself. After having paid this sum, prescription medicine is paid by the county council.

Dental Care

Dental care differs from medical care in that adults pay a larger share of the cost themselves. If you stay longer than one year, have a personal identity number, and pay taxes in Sweden, you are entitled to reduced dental care costs.

EU/EEA citizens staying less than one year are entitled to emergency dental care under the same conditions as Swedish residents, provided they can present a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Prices and guarantees vary between providers, so always ask your dentist for details.

Adults pay for dental care starting 1 January of the year they turn 20, but they receive state support. To access this support, you must visit a dentist affiliated with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).

Each year, everyone over the age of 20 receives a dental care grant of SEK 300 or SEK 600 depending on your age. You can save the grant for two years and use it on one occasion, but you cannot save more than two grants at a time.

Furthermore there is a ‘high cost protection’, which means that the state will step in and pay for certain parts of dental care costs that exceed SEK 3,000 in one year. The first SEK 3,000 is always paid by the patient.

There are several public dental clinics (Folktandvården) in the city of Uppsala and Uppsala County, and they all have different phone numbers. There is also a wide range of private dentists listed in the telephone directory.

Find out more about dental care in Uppsala at Folktandvårdens website (in Swedish)