Practical information for visitors
We are currently unable to accept new applications because we have reached the limit of our hosting capacity.
This can always change, however, and we will update our website if/when it does. 
All of us who live in Suderbyn contribute our time and energy to developing the ecovillage as a place and as a community. Creating a new model of society, is a challenging but inspiring task. It takes a lot of effort, time and commitment. We who live here contribute not only to keeping Suderbyn running well, but also to the social wellbeing of the community. We ask our visitors and guests to be considerate and respectful of our lifestyles and values.

Here in Suderbyn, we live simply (very simply, do not expect anything fancy), and in harmony with nature. We are not against innovative technologies and we use them ourselves when needed, but we do appreciate traditional knowledge and low-tech solutions which empower us and allow us to make more things ourselves instead of buying everything from far-away countries.

This is not a perfect ecovillage, of course, but we are trying to live ecologically, sustainably and creatively; to respect nature and each other. 

Prices

All of us living in Suderbyn pay for our rent and food, and so do our visitors, even volunteers.
The rent depends on the room size and comfort. The rents vary from 2000 to 3850 SEK per month for rooms. Renting a spot for a tent is 1100 SEK per month, and for 300 SEK per month you can also rent a tent from us (so, a total of 1400 SEK per month).
The food is 1900 SEK per month and is 100% ecological, vegan, and very good quality. Everyone can eat what, when and how much they want, though we try to be aware of our consumption habits.
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For shorter visits (less than 21 days), a bed is 150 SEK/night, a tent is 100 SEK/night, and food costs 150 SEK per day (breakfast: 30 SEK, lunch: 60 SEK, dinner: 60 SEK).

Working volunteers who contribute 4 or more hours of work per day, pay a reduced bed cost of 130 SEK/day, tent cost of 50 SEK/day and food cost of 75 SEK/day (includes all meals).

Visits from outside Gotland can not be less than 1 month except for exceptional situations. For information regarding short-term visits, please contact us directly for rates and availability: info@suderbyn.se

Volunteering work

Those who permanently live in Suderbyn (meaning they have lived here for over 6 months and have become a member)  are asked to contribute at least 10 hours of volunteering per week, though most  people tend to invest more time. Other residents are requested to work at least 4 hours a day.  This time can be filled by cooking, cleaning, attending the morning meetings/community meetings/working group meetings, organizing social events, or domain-specific work.

Sheets, towels and working clothes

We have towels and sheets which you can use, but please make sure to wash them before you leave. Or, if you leave early in the morning, ask someone from the community to help you. Feel free to bring some work clothes/shoes, but we also have community work clothes which you can borrow. We also have a 'freeshop' in which you can find lots of clothes and donate those you no longer want.

Ecological and Biodegradable Products

We support buying only ecological food products when buying personal food. We use only biodegradable personal hygiene products, such as shampoo, tooth paste, etc.,  and we expect the same from our guests. If you do not have 100% natural (biodegradable) personal hygiene products, you can buy them in Suderbyn. We urge you not to use non-biodegradable products because they will end up in our water supply.

If you want to move in

If you are thinking of moving to Suderbyn, we recommend visiting first, to see the place, how we live, and how we work together. If you like Suderbyn and feel that you would like to live here,
you are welcome to come back and become a "Suderbyn Explorer". However,  you can also come as a Suderbyn Explorer directly.

Suderbyn Explorer: 
This is a try-out period that lasts one year. During that year, there will be feedback sessions every three months. In these sessions, you and a few community members will reflect on how your integration is going and how your presence benefits the community. At the end of each session, the community members will vote on your continued stay.
During your time as an explorer, you can choose to have a "buddy", a person who helps you integrate and give feedback.

After the 4th feedback session, you and the community make the final decision about whether you and Suderbyn are a good fit. If both sides consent, you will officially become a Suderbyn resident.

Permanent membership​

In the current structure, every community member pays for their rent and food. There is a possibility to become a member and co-owner of our cooperative, "Suderbyn People-Care" when these requirements are met:
  • Having lived in Suderbyn for at least 6 months
  • Making a one-time donation of
    10 000 SEK to "Suderbyn Earth-Care", the  foundation that owns the land
  • Making a refundable contribution of 5 000 SEK to "Suderbyn People-Care Cooperative"
  • Signing a membership contract with the cooperative

Membership lowers monthly prices for food and rent, and lowers the minimum hourly community contribution to 10 hours per week.

Information to keep in mind

All communally bought and served food is vegan. Every weekday, one or two people cook for the community and on Sundays we usually have a pancake brunch.​.
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We promote a healthy lifestyle. Although strongly discouraged, smoking is allowed only in specifically designated areas, never indoors. No drugs or hard alcohol are allowed in Suderbyn. Please read our Co-Living Principles for more details.
We have two cats living with us, which is good to know if you have an allergy. 



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We try to grow most of our food ourselves, but have not yet reached full self-sufficiency.
We enjoy "fika", a typical Swedish tradition of having afternoon tea/coffee and cakes, and when new people arrive, we often host a fika to welcome them.
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We use compost toilets, separating urine and solids. But if you need to pee, the best is to just do it in the garden
​(at least 50 m from the pump station).