Sweden is by no means cheap, but the dollar has increased 4.6% in the last year, making it more affordable than it's been in the past. The Scandinavian nation is also a very well-run country: it ranked in the top 10 of the World Economic Forum's annual competitiveness report, which analyzes country's economies and their level of productivity.
Thanks to the country's high-quality infrastructure, it's easy to hop around Stockholm's 14 islands. And English speakers won't run into any barriers here — most locals speak English and almost every sign is written in both Swedish and English.
If you're looking to explore the countryside, go at the end of June, when you can join in on midsummer celebrations — a holiday that prompts Swedes to leave the city in droves.