Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Lund Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Lund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,626 in Bålsta versus $1,854 in Lund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,567 in Bålsta versus $3,027 in Lund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,507 in Bålsta versus $4,201 in Lund.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 12% less than in Lund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 18% above, Lund 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.20 SEK 136

$13.54 SEK 129

4.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 SEK 652

$94.6 SEK 904

-27.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 SEK 87.3

$12.34 SEK 118

-26.09%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SEK 41.34

$4.79 SEK 45.84

-9.81%

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

$2.79 SEK 26.66

$2.78 SEK 26.62

0.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 SEK 21.90

$2.12 SEK 20.31

8.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 SEK 69.4

$8.13 SEK 77.7

-10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 SEK 70.4

$7.51 SEK 71.9

-2.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 SEK 14.83

$1.73 SEK 16.56

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 SEK 19.62

$2.74 SEK 26.22

-25.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 35.43

$3.77 SEK 36.06

-1.86%

Eggs

$3.81 SEK 36.41

$4.58 SEK 43.83

-16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.69 SEK 112

$13.16 SEK 126

-11.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 SEK 120

$12.10 SEK 116

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 SEK 110

$17.47 SEK 167

-34.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.74

$3.14 SEK 30.08

-14.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 26.79

$2.98 SEK 28.53

-6.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SEK 20.54

$2.97 SEK 28.37

-27.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.38

$4.82 SEK 46.13

-38.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.75

$1.86 SEK 17.81

-17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SEK 12.24

$1.43 SEK 13.72

-10.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 SEK 15.50

$2.78 SEK 26.63

-41.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.24

$1.52 SEK 14.55

-29.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.27 SEK 69.6

$8.29 SEK 79.3

-12.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 SEK 101

$11.62 SEK 111

-8.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.84

$1.99 SEK 19.08

-22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.86

$2.76 SEK 26.43

-24.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 SEK 33.16

$3.25 SEK 31.13

6.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 SEK 767

$66.2 SEK 633

21.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 SEK 57.8

$5.36 SEK 51.3

12.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.34

$1.16 SEK 11.05

37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.0 SEK 794

$42.94 SEK 411

93.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.65

$1.87 SEK 17.90

-1.60%

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

$35.4K SEK 338.5K

$35.0K SEK 334.6K

1.15%

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

$34.3K SEK 327.9K

$33.9K SEK 324.3K

1.10%

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

$53.6 SEK 513

$82.2 SEK 786

-34.77%

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

$21.09 SEK 202

$32.06 SEK 307

-34.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.49 SEK 397

$43.65 SEK 418

-4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.72 SEK 380

$38.47 SEK 368

3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.61 SEK 255

$28.42 SEK 272

-6.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SEK 129

$15.94 SEK 152

-15.31%

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

$127 SEK 1,213

$167 SEK 1,600

-24.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,225 SEK 50.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 SEK 700

$84.8 SEK 811

-13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.59 SEK 101

$60.7 SEK 580

-82.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SEK 804

$106 SEK 1,010

-20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,103

$130 SEK 1,244

-11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 SEK 8,185

$870 SEK 8,323

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SEK 5,992

$715 SEK 6,844

-12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 SEK 13.3K

$1,824 SEK 17.4K

-23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

$1,449 SEK 13.9K

-26.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,199 SEK 40.2K

$6,563 SEK 62.8K

-36.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,939 SEK 28.1K

$3,707 SEK 35.5K

-20.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,069 SEK 38.9K

$3,096 SEK 29.6K

31.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

-0.99%

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

Last update for Bålsta: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lund: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $856 in Bålsta and $870 in Lund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bålsta vs $95.0 in Lund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $377 per month, with Bålsta cheaper across the board.

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

Bålsta vs Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Lund. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Bålsta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $856 in Bålsta versus $870 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,626 per month in Bålsta versus $1,854 in Lund – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 21% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $1,854 in Lund, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Lund. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta and Lund are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.