Cost of Living Comparison Between Gavle and Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison Between Gavle and Stockholm

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,471 in Gavle versus $2,732 in Stockholm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Gavle versus $4,130 in Stockholm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,226 in Gavle versus $5,527 in Stockholm.

Living in Gavle costs roughly 46% less than in Stockholm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gavle 7% above, Stockholm 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.47 SEK 119

$18.42 SEK 176

-32.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.8 SEK 859

$103 SEK 982

-12.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 SEK 92.6

$11.43 SEK 109

-15.31%

Cappuccino

$5.26 SEK 50.3

$5.35 SEK 51.2

-1.68%

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

$2.12 SEK 20.24

$3.89 SEK 37.18

-45.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 23.06

$3.20 SEK 30.64

-24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 SEK 79.6

$8.46 SEK 80.9

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 SEK 70.2

$9.19 SEK 87.9

-20.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.56

$1.74 SEK 16.68

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 SEK 25.15

$4.17 SEK 39.87

-36.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 38.15

$4.09 SEK 39.12

-2.44%

Eggs

$3.90 SEK 37.28

$5.19 SEK 49.62

-24.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 SEK 93.0

$13.23 SEK 127

-26.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 SEK 105

$13.55 SEK 130

-19.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.50 SEK 187

$22.30 SEK 213

-12.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 SEK 29.79

$3.55 SEK 33.95

-12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.06

$2.97 SEK 28.44

-4.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 30.63

$3.17 SEK 30.36

0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 43.97

$4.70 SEK 44.92

-2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 SEK 16.48

$1.87 SEK 17.85

-8.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 18.00

$1.80 SEK 17.25

4.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 SEK 24.51

$2.49 SEK 23.78

2.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.77

$2.49 SEK 23.79

-16.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.30 SEK 79.4

$9.10 SEK 87.1

-8.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 SEK 110

$12.67 SEK 121

-8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SEK 16.15

$2.14 SEK 20.51

-21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SEK 15.71

$2.56 SEK 24.47

-35.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 32.67

$4.61 SEK 44.14

-25.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 SEK 596

$113 SEK 1,078

-44.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 SEK 45.22

$6.20 SEK 59.3

-23.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 SEK 14.79

$1.53 SEK 14.64

1.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.03 SEK 335

$59.2 SEK 566

-40.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.26

$1.82 SEK 17.43

4.95%

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

$26.9K SEK 257.1K

$34.5K SEK 329.8K

-22.06%

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

$28.8K SEK 275.7K

$35.1K SEK 336.0K

-17.95%

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

$55.4 SEK 530

$281 SEK 2,690

-80.32%

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

$22.54 SEK 216

$22.69 SEK 217

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.89 SEK 382

$40.70 SEK 389

-1.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.53 SEK 464

$48.06 SEK 460

0.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 396

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 SEK 150

$19.78 SEK 189

-20.58%

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

$138 SEK 1,316

$172 SEK 1,647

-20.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K SEK 147.9K

$16.8K SEK 161.1K

-8.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 SEK 711

$120 SEK 1,149

-38.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 SEK 548

$57.8 SEK 553

-0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.1 SEK 499

$142 SEK 1,356

-63.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 SEK 905

$203 SEK 1,939

-53.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 SEK 5,575

$1,787 SEK 17.1K

-67.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 SEK 4,236

$1,096 SEK 10.5K

-59.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 SEK 7,814

$3,323 SEK 31.8K

-75.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 SEK 6,553

$1,859 SEK 17.8K

-63.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 SEK 19.2K

$11.7K SEK 112.2K

-82.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,373 SEK 13.1K

$6,611 SEK 63.2K

-79.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,222 SEK 30.8K

$3,662 SEK 35.0K

-12.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

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

Last update for Gavle: August 31, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $583 in Gavle and $1,787 in Stockholm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stockholm pays 14% 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: $90.0 in Gavle vs $103 in Stockholm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $433 per month, with Gavle 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

Gavle vs Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gavle and Stockholm differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($1,471 vs $2,732 including rent). Gavle is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Stockholm. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $583 in Gavle versus $1,787 in Stockholm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gavle runs roughly 81% less than in Stockholm. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $138 in Gavle versus $172 in Stockholm. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,471 in Gavle versus $2,732 in Stockholm, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gavle but tight or insufficient in Stockholm. The gap between the two cities makes Gavle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Gavle 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 Gavle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Stockholm. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.