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: $2,940 in Cary, NC versus $2,505 in Stockholm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Cary, NC versus $3,800 in Stockholm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,833 in Cary, NC versus $5,096 in Stockholm.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 17% more expensive than Stockholm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 119% above, Stockholm 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 $17.88

$16.12 SEK 150

10.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 $97.0

$112 SEK 1,045

-13.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 $10.43

$11.58 SEK 108

-9.93%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$5.08 SEK 47.40

-2.36%

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

$2.00 $2.00

$3.30 SEK 30.79

-39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.50 SEK 23.35

-25.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$8.67 SEK 80.9

-41.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 $6.69

$8.30 SEK 77.5

-19.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.72 SEK 16.03

-35.47%

White Bread (500g)

$5.47 $5.47

$3.46 SEK 32.29

58.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$3.99 SEK 37.28

57.39%

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$4.72 SEK 44.00

0.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.23 $20.23

$13.03 SEK 122

55.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$12.91 SEK 120

-3.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.92 $17.92

$19.56 SEK 183

-8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.62 SEK 33.73

52.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.83 SEK 26.37

-37.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.39 SEK 31.62

22.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$4.60 SEK 42.88

45.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.90 SEK 17.70

31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.88 SEK 17.54

83.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.60 SEK 24.27

13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 SEK 14.98

22.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$7.82 SEK 73.0

19.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$12.85 SEK 120

-23.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.16 SEK 20.15

11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.24 SEK 20.95

116.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$4.57 SEK 42.60

-60.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$110 SEK 1,028

-45.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$6.27 SEK 58.5

-43.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.57 SEK 14.67

1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.81 $28.81

$62.5 SEK 583

-53.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.82 SEK 16.98

-56.04%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

-11.15%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

-17.66%

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

$169 $169

$229 SEK 2,133

-26.07%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$28.82 SEK 269

74.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$41.69 SEK 389

49.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 $75.3

$46.58 SEK 435

61.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 359

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 $13.58

$17.65 SEK 165

-23.06%

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

$1,491 $1,491

$165 SEK 1,541

802.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

252.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.21 $48.21

$97.4 SEK 909

-50.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 $31.94

$49.44 SEK 461

-35.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$117 SEK 1,090

10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$204 SEK 1,907

-33.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

11.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

42.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

-3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

52.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,862 $2,862

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

-76.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,652 $2,652

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

-60.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,996 $5,996

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

58.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

4.16

51.68%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Cary, NC and $1,589 in Stockholm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 59% 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: $97.0 in Cary, NC vs $112 in Stockholm. Groceries flip the comparison at $467 vs $401, 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cary, NC pays 59% 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: $1,765 in Cary, NC versus $1,589 in Stockholm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,491 in Cary, NC versus $165 in Stockholm. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 17% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.