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: $3,038 in Cary, NC versus $2,582 in Stockholm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,477 in Cary, NC versus $3,840 in Stockholm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,916 in Cary, NC versus $5,098 in Stockholm.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 18% more expensive than in Stockholm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 127% above, Stockholm 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.06 $18.06

$16.09 SEK 155

12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$110 SEK 1,062

-10.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 $10.56

$11.68 SEK 113

-9.59%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$5.20 SEK 50.1

0.38%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$3.28 SEK 31.64

-36.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.47 SEK 23.78

-24.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$8.51 SEK 82.0

-42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 $6.74

$8.31 SEK 80.1

-18.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.80 SEK 17.33

-35.56%

White Bread (500g)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.41 SEK 32.84

64.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$4.07 SEK 39.19

48.16%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$4.70 SEK 45.33

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.88 $20.88

$12.77 SEK 123

63.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$13.23 SEK 127

-5.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$19.40 SEK 187

-7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.60 SEK 34.66

61.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.90 SEK 27.93

-39.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.38 SEK 32.54

26.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$4.59 SEK 44.21

47.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.96 SEK 18.92

30.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.89 SEK 18.17

81.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.52 SEK 24.24

15.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.61 SEK 15.55

22.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$8.06 SEK 77.7

16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$12.53 SEK 121

-20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.19 SEK 21.08

4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.36 SEK 22.76

109.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 $1.90

$4.55 SEK 43.89

-58.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$112 SEK 1,080

-46.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$6.40 SEK 61.7

-44.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.66 SEK 15.95

-0.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.23 $29.23

$63.3 SEK 610

-53.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.86 SEK 17.92

-57.53%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$33.0K SEK 318.3K

-9.86%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$34.5K SEK 332.9K

-17.22%

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

$171 $171

$227 SEK 2,189

-24.93%

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

$49.09 $49.09

$29.59 SEK 285

65.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$42.03 SEK 405

48.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$46.01 SEK 443

64.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.09 SEK 367

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 $13.72

$17.78 SEK 171

-22.83%

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

$1,484 $1,484

$164 SEK 1,582

803.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$6,573 SEK 63.3K

255.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.87 $48.87

$97.6 SEK 941

-49.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.38 $32.38

$49.76 SEK 480

-34.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$120 SEK 1,159

5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$202 SEK 1,945

-32.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$2,754 SEK 26.5K

-3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

52.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$11.8K SEK 113.3K

-76.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,678 $2,678

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

-58.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,861 $5,861

$3,643 SEK 35.1K

60.87%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,770 in Cary, NC and $1,566 in Stockholm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 61% 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 $110 in Stockholm. Groceries flip the comparison at $471 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 61% 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: $1,770 in Cary, NC versus $1,566 in Stockholm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,484 in Cary, NC versus $164 in Stockholm. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% 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 18% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.