Sorry but that calculation is just stupid. Thanks to deductions, the income tax paid for even a high earner does not surpass 28%. The 20% state tax is only paid on income in excess of 401 100 something that is always conveniently forgotten when discussing taxes. E.g. the tax scale is progressive which is to offset the trend that the more you earn, the likelier you have other incomes such as investments returns which are taxed significantly lower than salary tax. Yes, Sweden still has high taxes but the situation is not nearly as bad as you make it out to be.