Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Stockholm

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,808 in Cary, NC versus $2,732 in Stockholm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,200 in Cary, NC versus $4,130 in Stockholm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,592 in Cary, NC versus $5,527 in Stockholm.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 3% more expensive than in Stockholm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 104% above, Stockholm 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.46 $19.46

$18.42 SEK 177

5.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.2 $99.2

$103 SEK 988

-3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 $10.54

$11.43 SEK 110

-7.79%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$5.35 SEK 51.5

-3.18%

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

$2.09 $2.09

$3.89 SEK 37.43

-46.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.20 SEK 30.85

-39.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 $4.48

$8.46 SEK 81.5

-47.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 $6.35

$9.19 SEK 88.5

-30.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.74 SEK 16.80

-40.23%

White Bread (500g)

$5.72 $5.72

$4.17 SEK 40.14

37.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.09 SEK 39.39

45.97%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$5.19 SEK 49.96

-21.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.96 $17.96

$13.23 SEK 127

35.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.59 $16.59

$13.55 SEK 131

22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$22.30 SEK 215

-22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$3.55 SEK 34.19

69.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.97 SEK 28.63

-37.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.17 SEK 30.57

17.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$4.70 SEK 45.23

42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.87 SEK 17.97

72.73%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.80 SEK 17.37

142.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.49 SEK 23.95

15.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.49 SEK 23.95

-4.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 $9.91

$9.10 SEK 87.7

8.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 $9.73

$12.67 SEK 122

-23.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.14 SEK 20.66

11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.56 SEK 24.64

57.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$4.61 SEK 44.44

-44.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 $80.0

$113 SEK 1,085

-29.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 59.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 14.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 SEK 570

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.82 SEK 17.55

-54.95%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.1K

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$35.1K SEK 338.3K

-18.93%

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

$184 $184

$281 SEK 2,709

-34.49%

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

$47.48 $47.48

$22.69 SEK 218

109.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$40.70 SEK 392

66.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.2 $76.2

$48.06 SEK 463

58.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 $22.31

$41.41 SEK 399

-46.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.08 $15.08

$19.78 SEK 191

-23.76%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$172 SEK 1,658

746.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K SEK 162.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 $64.8

$120 SEK 1,157

-46.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 $32.94

$57.8 SEK 557

-43.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$142 SEK 1,365

-14.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$203 SEK 1,952

-32.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,787 SEK 17.2K

8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 $1,383

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,697 $2,697

$3,323 SEK 32.0K

-18.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,175 $2,175

$1,859 SEK 17.9K

16.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 $2,863

$11.7K SEK 113.0K

-75.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,686 $2,686

$6,611 SEK 63.7K

-59.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,058 $6,058

$3,662 SEK 35.3K

65.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

3.31

85.20%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Cary, NC and $1,787 in Stockholm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Cary, NC vs $103 in Stockholm. Groceries flip the comparison at $484 vs $433, with Stockholm cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cary, NC vs Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Cary, NC, 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: $1,940 in Cary, NC versus $1,787 in Stockholm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,458 in Cary, NC versus $172 in Stockholm. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Stockholm is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Stockholm is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cary, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cary, NC and Stockholm 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 Stockholm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.