Cost of living in Sweden
Summary of cost of living in Sweden
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 45,540 kr
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 23,750 kr
- Cost of living in Sweden is cheaper than in 67% of countries in Western Europe (12 out of 18)
- Cost of living in Sweden is more expensive than in 72% of countries in the World (22 out of 75)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 127 kr | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 91 kr | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 64 kr | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 16 kr | ||
12 eggs, large | 40 kr | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 39 kr | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 54 kr | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 30 kr | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 14 kr | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 19 kr | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 114 kr | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | 22 kr | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 23 kr | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 18,598 kr | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 13,876 kr | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 1,095 kr | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 12,702 kr | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 9,427 kr | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 576 kr | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 324 kr | ||
40” flat screen tv | 3,909 kr | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 2,925 kr | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 123 kr | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | 279 kr | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 923 kr | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 430 kr | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 1,056 kr | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 1,376 kr | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 294,774 kr | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 21 kr | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | 841 kr | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 53 kr | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 127 kr | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 273 kr | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 39 kr | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 31 kr | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 36 kr | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | 31 kr | ||
Tube of toothpaste | 24 kr | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 338 kr | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 465 kr | ||
2 tickets to the movies | 301 kr | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 1,000 kr | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 787 kr | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 160 kr | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 42 kr | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 72 kr | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 9,261 kr | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 1.32 kr | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | 398 kr | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 69 kr |
Moving to Sweden with your children?
International Schools in Sweden
Map of Cost of Living in Sweden

This map shows only the top cities in Sweden. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Sweden
(top cities by data quality)
Ranking | City | Price Index * |
---|---|---|
1st | Stockholm | 125 |
2nd | Gothenburg | 114 |
3rd | Helsingborg | 111 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Sweden? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Sweden of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in Sweden
Borås | Gothenburg | Gävle |
Halmstad | Helsingborg | Jönköping |
Karlstad | Lulea | Malmo |
Norrköping | Pitea | Skelleftea |
Stockholm | Umeå | Uppsala |
Visby | Västerås | Växjö |
Örebro |
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 31% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 9% cheaper than in Oslo
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 25% more expensive than in Barcelona, Spain
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 10% cheaper than in Berlin
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 41% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Malmo is 35% cheaper than in Copenhagen
- Cost of living in Malmo is 30% cheaper than in Melbourne
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 23% more expensive than in Lisbon
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 32% cheaper than in San Francisco, California
- Cost of living in Västerås is 24% more expensive than in Lima
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 13% cheaper than in Amsterdam
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 14% cheaper than in Copenhagen
- Cost of living in Pitea is 10% more expensive than in Lima
- Cost of living in Visby is 56% more expensive than in Lima
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 11% more expensive than in Vienna
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 15% cheaper than in Gwangju
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 12% cheaper than in Sydney
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 69% more expensive than in Istanbul
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 37% cheaper than in Singapore
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 9% cheaper than in Vancouver
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- One-way ticket in public transport in Umeå costs 33 kr (2 days ago)
- Public transport in Umeå costs 530 kr (2 days ago)
- Sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) in Umeå costs 1,200 kr (2 days ago)
- Jeans (levis 501 or similar) in Umeå costs 900 kr (2 days ago)
- Internet 8 mbps, 1 month in Umeå costs 300 kr (2 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in normal area in Umeå costs 5,500 kr (2 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in expensive area in Umeå costs 7,000 kr (2 days ago)
- Furnished accommodation in normal area, monthly rent - 85 m2 in Umeå costs 10,000 kr (2 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 85 m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Umeå costs 13,000 kr (2 days ago)
- 1 kg of rice in Umeå costs 45 kr (2 days ago)