sharing numbers for the archive. senior SWE, backend focus, Stockholm office.
base: ~620,000 SEK (~$57k USD equivalent, but Stockholm CoL is different math) bonus: 8% of base, discretionary benefit additions: IKEA co-worker discount (actually decent, 15%), generous pension contribution (they match heavily), subsidized canteen no equity component for this level
total package in SEK terms around 680k all-in. for the role and the stability it's competitive for Stockholm, not competitive if you're comparing to US tech salaries in pure dollar terms.
process was 4 rounds, ~5 weeks. got the offer, accepted. they were not flexible on base but added one extra week of vacation when I pushed.
4 replies
contractor_kai
the pension contribution detail is useful. Swedish pension top-up from employers can be substantial and it's often overlooked when people do the USD comparison. what percentage were they matching?
numbers_only
30% of salary up to a ceiling, which is meaningful for Swedish tax purposes. if you're staying long-term in Sweden the pension math genuinely changes the picture vs. US equity-heavy packages where most RSUs evaporate if you leave within 4 years.
backend_bekah
no equity at IKEA makes sense, they're private (Ingka Group). but the stability angle is real. they haven't had mass layoffs in recent memory which is more than most tech companies can say in 2025-2026.
market_realist
they got you on an extra week of vacation which is honestly the right lever to push at companies that anchor hard on salary. time off converts at a higher effective rate than most people calculate.