Money Matters in Stockholm

Money Matters

Be aware that sales taxes can be very high, but foreigners can get some refunds by shopping at tax-free stores. City Cards can save you transportation and entrance fees in many of the larger cities.

You can reduce the cost of food by planning. Breakfast is often included in your hotel bill; if not, you may wish to buy fruit, sweet rolls, and a beverage for a picnic breakfast. Electrical devices for hot coffee or tea should be bought abroad. When purchasing, make sure they conform to the local current.

Opt for a restaurant lunch instead of dinner, since the latter tends to be significantly more expensive. Instead of beer or wine, drink tap water–liquor can cost four times the price of the same brand in a store–but do specify tap water, as the term water can refer to soft drinks and bottled water, which are also expensive. Throughout Scandinavia the tip is included in the cost of your meal.

In most of Scandinavia, liquor and strong beer (over 3% alcohol) can be purchased only in state-owned shops, at very high prices, during weekday business hours, usually 9:30-6, and in some areas on Saturday until mid-afternoon. A midsize bottle of whiskey in Sweden, for example, can easily cost SKr 250 (about $35). Weaker beers and ciders are usually available in grocery stores in Scandinavia.

ATMs

The 1,200 or so blue Bankomat cash dispensers nationwide have been adapted to take some foreign cards, including MasterCard, Visa, and bank cards linked to the Cirrus network. You may encounter some complications on remote machines. It's best to use those that are next to major bank offices. For more information contact Bankomatcentralen in Stockholm or your local bank. American Express has cash and traveler's check dispensers; there's also an office at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport.

Contacts

American Express (Birger Jarlsg. 1. 020/793211 toll-free). Bankomatcentralen/CEK AB (08/7255700).

Currency

The unit of currency is the krona (plural kronor), which is divided into 100 öre and is written as SKr or SEK. Coins come in SKr 1, SKr 5, and SKr 10. Bank notes come in denominations of SKr 20, SKr 50, SKr 100, SKr 500, and SKr 1,000. At press time the exchange rates for the krona were SKr 7.9 to the U.S. dollar, SKr 6.7 to the Canadian dollar, SKr 13.8 to the British pound sterling, SKr 9.4 to the euro, SKr 5.9 to the Australian dollar, SKr 5.5 to the New Zealand dollar, and SKr 1.2 to the South African rand.

Currency Exchange

Traveler's checks and foreign currency can be exchanged at banks all over Sweden and at post offices displaying the nb exchange" sign. Be sure to have your passport with you when exchanging money at a bank.