Cost of living in Sweden
Summary of cost of living in Sweden
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 47,913 kr
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 25,466 kr
- Cost of living in Sweden is more expensive than in 63% of countries in Western Europe (7 out of 16)
- Cost of living in Sweden is more expensive than in 77% of countries in the World (15 out of 62)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 145 kr | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 101 kr | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 68 kr | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 16 kr | ||
12 eggs, large | 41 kr | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 36 kr | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 56 kr | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 31 kr | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 19 kr | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 20 kr | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 116 kr | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | 25 kr | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 17 kr | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 21,059 kr | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 14,231 kr | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 750 kr | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 14,444 kr | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 10,113 kr | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 341 kr | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 284 kr | ||
40” flat screen tv | 3,898 kr | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 1,184 kr | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 59 kr | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | 313 kr | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 970 kr | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 442 kr | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 1,141 kr | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 1,310 kr | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 336,675 kr | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 18 kr | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | 883 kr | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 73 kr | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 196 kr | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 309 kr | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 131 kr | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 90 kr | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 85 kr | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | 57 kr | ||
Tube of toothpaste | 29 kr | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 396 kr | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 421 kr | ||
2 tickets to the movies | 312 kr | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 639 kr | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 935 kr | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 220 kr | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 48 kr | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 66 kr | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 5,355 kr | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 2.00 kr | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | 470 kr | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 72 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 | 145 |
2nd | Helsingborg | 120 |
3rd | Uppsala | 115 |
4th | Norrköping | 105 |
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 119% more expensive than in Sarajevo
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 19% more expensive than in Barcelona, Spain
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 33% more expensive than in San‘a’
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 37% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 30% more expensive than in Tucson, Arizona
- Cost of living in Gothenburg is 22% cheaper than in Oslo
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 197% more expensive than in Lusaka
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 23% cheaper than in Seattle, Washington
- Cost of living in Malmo is 39% cheaper than in Copenhagen
- Cost of living in Visby is 94% more expensive than in Benin City
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 26% cheaper than in Denver, Colorado
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 106% more expensive than in Bagamoyo
- Cost of living in Stockholm is about the same as in Eugene, Oregon
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 15% more expensive than in Willemstad
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 26% more expensive than in Magangue
- Cost of living in Stockholm is about the same as in Fort Worth, Texas
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 32% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 37% more expensive than in Abbotsford
- Cost of living in Stockholm is about the same as in Dubai
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 12% more expensive than in Zomba