Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Sweden Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Sweden

Name: Sweden
Address: SE

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,185 per month in Australia vs $1,828 in Sweden, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,220 per month in Australia vs $2,831 in Sweden, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $3,834 in Sweden, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 20% higher than in Sweden on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Sweden are pricier than the global median – Australia by 64%, Sweden by 37%.

Cost ranges are similar: Australia spans $1,575–$2,824, Sweden $1,448–$2,582. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 A$23.19

$14.86 SEK 144

8.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 A$111

$85.4 SEK 826

-9.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 A$13.57

$11.45 SEK 111

-17.29%

Cappuccino

$3.46 A$4.95

$4.82 SEK 46.59

-28.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 A$3.85

$2.82 SEK 27.28

-4.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 A$3.13

$2.38 SEK 22.98

-7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.47

$8.04 SEK 77.8

-17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.18

$8.03 SEK 77.6

-11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.22

$1.70 SEK 16.47

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 A$3.55

$3.13 SEK 30.25

-21.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 A$3.01

$3.86 SEK 37.26

-45.60%

Eggs

$4.24 A$6.08

$4.53 SEK 43.80

-6.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.28

$12.07 SEK 117

-29.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 A$12.32

$12.20 SEK 118

-29.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 A$19.79

$18.93 SEK 183

-27.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.55

$3.15 SEK 30.48

0.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.90

$2.84 SEK 27.41

-4.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.24

$3.07 SEK 29.68

-3.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 A$6.17

$4.38 SEK 42.30

-1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.53

$1.84 SEK 17.74

34.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$3.00

$1.82 SEK 17.62

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.33 SEK 22.57

-6.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.19

$1.46 SEK 14.08

4.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.29 A$44.83

$8.14 SEK 78.7

284.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 A$19.97

$11.30 SEK 109

23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.39

$2.11 SEK 20.35

111.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 A$7.18

$2.18 SEK 21.10

129.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.71 SEK 35.90

-19.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 A$138

$90.6 SEK 875

5.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.11

$6.52 SEK 63.0

-45.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.51

$1.82 SEK 17.63

-3.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.88 A$54.3

$63.0 SEK 609

-39.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.93 SEK 18.61

-40.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.4K A$42.1K

$32.0K SEK 308.9K

-8.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.1K A$33.1K

$34.8K SEK 336.7K

-33.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$174 A$249

$127 SEK 1,230

36.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.88 A$38.51

$29.12 SEK 281

-7.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$75.5

$38.54 SEK 373

36.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.69 A$68.3

$41.63 SEK 402

14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 A$23.65

$27.79 SEK 269

-40.59%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 A$19.67

$17.12 SEK 165

-19.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,555 A$2,227

$152 SEK 1,471

921.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$18.1K

$2,607 SEK 25.2K

385.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$99.7

$95.1 SEK 919

-26.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$73.4

$41.34 SEK 400

23.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$146

$105 SEK 1,012

-2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$161

$150 SEK 1,451

-25.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 A$1,947

$941 SEK 9,098

44.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 A$1,547

$744 SEK 7,187

45.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 A$3,296

$1,565 SEK 15.1K

46.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 A$2,509

$1,215 SEK 11.7K

44.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,618 A$10.9K

$5,268 SEK 50.9K

44.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,762 A$8,255

$3,325 SEK 32.1K

73.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,023 A$5,764

$3,114 SEK 30.1K

29.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

4.52

40.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Australia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sweden: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,231 in Australia vs $868 in Sweden. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,549 in Canberra and $1,566 in Stockholm.

Average salary: $3,775 in Australia vs $2,959 in Sweden. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 42% higher in Australia.

Public transport is 15% more expensive in Sweden.

Salaries are 28% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Australia vs Sweden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sweden is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 9% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sweden, contributing to the overall 9% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sweden, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Sweden is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.