Cost of living in Sweden
Summary of cost of living in Sweden
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 46,512 kr
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 25,086 kr
- Cost of living in Sweden is cheaper than in 56% of countries in Western Europe (10 out of 18)
- Cost of living in Sweden is more expensive than in 70% of countries in the World (22 out of 71)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 129 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 | 15 kr | ||
12 eggs, large | 41 kr | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 39 kr | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 53 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 | 23 kr | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 26 kr | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 19,958 kr | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 15,359 kr | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 1,006 kr | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 13,165 kr | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 10,150 kr | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 444 kr | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 340 kr | ||
40” flat screen tv | 3,000 kr | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 2,456 kr | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 129 kr | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | 164 kr | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 898 kr | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 415 kr | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 991 kr | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 1,314 kr | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 272,928 kr | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 22 kr | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | 891 kr | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 70 kr | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 100 kr | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 200 kr | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 34 kr | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 31 kr | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 35 kr | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | 25 kr | ||
Tube of toothpaste | 24 kr | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 210 kr | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 519 kr | ||
2 tickets to the movies | 300 kr | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 810 kr | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 838 kr | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 167 kr | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 42 kr | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 72 kr | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 9,490 kr | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 1.45 kr | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | 426 kr | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 68 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 | 139 |
2nd | Gothenburg | 114 |
3rd | Malmo | 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 27% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Malmo is 37% cheaper than in Copenhagen
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 6% cheaper than in Berlin
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 9% cheaper than in Paris
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 50% more expensive than in Zaragoza
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 67% more expensive than in Budapest
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 15% cheaper than in Oslo
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 26% cheaper than in Dublin
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 18% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 9% cheaper than in Doha
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 13% cheaper than in Amsterdam
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 145% more expensive than in Managua
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 10% more expensive than in Milan
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 26% more expensive than in Lisbon
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 9% more expensive than in Vienna
- Cost of living in Stockholm is about the same as in Munich
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 21% cheaper than in Copenhagen
- Cost of living in Stockholm is about the same as in Växjö
- Cost of living in Jönköping is 22% cheaper than in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Cost of living in Stockholm is 8% cheaper than in Manchester
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 liter of whole fat milk in Malmo costs 17 kr (10 days ago)