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: $1,640 in Bålsta versus $1,949 in Lund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,500 in Bålsta versus $3,033 in Lund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,359 in Bålsta versus $4,117 in Lund.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 16% less than in Lund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 22% above, Lund 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 SEK 124

$12.42 SEK 116

7.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 SEK 637

$85.7 SEK 799

-20.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SEK 88.1

$11.98 SEK 112

-21.20%

Cappuccino

$4.10 SEK 38.27

$5.01 SEK 46.78

-18.16%

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

$2.78 SEK 25.92

$2.83 SEK 26.39

-1.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.43

$2.07 SEK 19.33

15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 SEK 68.6

$8.27 SEK 77.2

-11.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 70.1

$7.53 SEK 70.3

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.16

$1.62 SEK 15.11

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 SEK 19.41

$2.23 SEK 20.80

-6.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.36

$2.92 SEK 27.24

29.79%

Eggs

$3.91 SEK 36.51

$4.42 SEK 41.20

-11.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$12.89 SEK 120

-11.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 111

$11.41 SEK 106

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$17.35 SEK 162

-34.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.37

$3.20 SEK 29.89

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.76

$2.89 SEK 26.99

-8.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 SEK 22.20

$2.90 SEK 27.05

-17.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.27

$4.42 SEK 41.23

-33.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.56

$1.67 SEK 15.61

-6.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.14

$1.63 SEK 15.23

-20.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 SEK 14.97

$2.63 SEK 24.52

-39.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.68

$1.29 SEK 12.01

-19.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SEK 70.2

$8.10 SEK 75.6

-7.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 SEK 101

$11.86 SEK 111

-8.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.49

$2.04 SEK 18.99

-24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.23

$2.15 SEK 20.04

-9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 31.82

$3.42 SEK 31.92

-0.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 SEK 681

$67.2 SEK 627

8.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 57.9

$5.40 SEK 50.4

14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.14

$1.90 SEK 17.74

-37.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.6 SEK 761

$62.6 SEK 584

30.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.05

$1.98 SEK 18.44

-2.53%

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

$32.0K SEK 298.3K

$32.8K SEK 306.3K

-2.62%

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

$34.4K SEK 320.8K

$34.3K SEK 319.9K

0.29%

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

$53.1 SEK 495

$123 SEK 1,148

-56.83%

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

$20.82 SEK 194

$28.49 SEK 266

-26.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.89 SEK 344

$41.60 SEK 388

-11.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.85 SEK 372

$39.20 SEK 366

1.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.53 SEK 238

$24.29 SEK 227

5.10%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SEK 126

$17.86 SEK 167

-24.41%

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

$125 SEK 1,165

$176 SEK 1,638

-28.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$748 SEK 6,978

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

-82.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 SEK 703

$79.1 SEK 738

-4.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.66 SEK 99.5

$60.3 SEK 563

-82.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SEK 789

$104 SEK 971

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,074

$127 SEK 1,187

-9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 7,860

$970 SEK 9,054

-13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,199

$757 SEK 7,060

-12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 SEK 13.2K

$1,644 SEK 15.3K

-14.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 SEK 10.0K

$1,314 SEK 12.3K

-18.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,129 SEK 38.5K

$6,660 SEK 62.1K

-38.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,918 SEK 27.2K

$3,858 SEK 36.0K

-24.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,120 SEK 38.4K

$3,140 SEK 29.3K

31.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-37.50%

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

Last update for Bålsta: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $842 in Bålsta and $970 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 $86.0 in Lund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $355 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 19% 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.

Bålsta pays 31% more on average, 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: $842 in Bålsta versus $970 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,640 per month in Bålsta versus $1,949 in Lund – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 9% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,640 in Bålsta versus $1,949 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 $1,640 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 19% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.