Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Sweden Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Sweden

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $363 in India versus $1,823 in Sweden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $575 in India versus $2,827 in Sweden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $786 in India versus $3,831 in Sweden.

Living in India costs about 80% less than in Sweden on average.

India (73% below) and Sweden (33% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Sweden: monthly costs span $1,437 to $2,631, compared to $230$823 in India. City choice carries more weight in Sweden.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Sweden
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.11 ₹202
$14.88 SEK 146
-85.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.62 ₹1,019
$80.7 SEK 792
-86.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.62 ₹348
$11.18 SEK 110
-67.62%
Cappuccino
$1.65 ₹159
$4.70 SEK 46.13
-64.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₹36.28
$2.86 SEK 28.09
-86.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 ₹13.46
$2.35 SEK 23.10
-94.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.86 ₹179
$7.98 SEK 78.4
-76.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 ₹309
$7.65 SEK 75.1
-57.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Sweden
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 ₹65.0
$1.65 SEK 16.22
-58.79%
White Bread (500g)
$0.49 ₹47.28
$2.94 SEK 28.88
-83.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.66 ₹63.3
$3.56 SEK 34.96
-81.46%
Eggs
$0.87 ₹83.6
$4.24 SEK 41.66
-79.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.76 ₹456
$11.81 SEK 116
-59.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.79 ₹267
$12.05 SEK 118
-76.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$19.34 SEK 190
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.96 ₹188
$3.16 SEK 31.02
-37.97%
Banana (1kg)
$0.68 ₹65.3
$2.60 SEK 25.57
-73.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.95 ₹90.8
$3.08 SEK 30.30
-69.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.50 ₹48.31
$4.54 SEK 44.62
-88.99%
Potato (1kg)
$0.34 ₹32.37
$1.79 SEK 17.63
-81.01%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 ₹36.89
$1.63 SEK 16.01
-76.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.45 ₹42.90
$2.34 SEK 23.00
-80.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.82
$1.42 SEK 13.91
-78.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.10 ₹489
$7.89 SEK 77.6
-35.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.13 ₹684
$11.26 SEK 111
-36.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₹163
$2.03 SEK 19.99
-16.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 ₹256
$2.19 SEK 21.51
21.92%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.12 ₹491
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Sweden
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 ₹26.10
$3.68 SEK 36.16
-92.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.56 ₹821
$89.7 SEK 881
-90.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.90 ₹86.7
$6.12 SEK 60.1
-85.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₹23.70
$1.97 SEK 19.40
-87.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 ₹155
$61.8 SEK 607
-97.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹102
$1.89 SEK 18.58
-43.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.5K ₹1.2M
$33.5K SEK 329.5K
-62.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K ₹1.9M
$34.2K SEK 336.4K
-42.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Sweden
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.89 ₹3,635
$131 SEK 1,291
-71.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.61 ₹346
$27.19 SEK 267
-86.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.92 ₹664
$38.82 SEK 381
-82.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Sweden
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.49 ₹1,390
$40.38 SEK 397
-64.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.15 ₹686
$27.49 SEK 270
-73.99%
Cinema Ticket
$3.15 ₹302
$16.32 SEK 160
-80.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Sweden
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$57.2 ₹5,485
$155 SEK 1,526
-63.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,669 ₹160.1K
$4,705 SEK 46.2K
-64.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Sweden
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.52 ₹2,161
$94.6 SEK 930
-76.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.70 ₹2,369
$42.36 SEK 416
-41.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$40.36 ₹3,872
$102 SEK 1,002
-60.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.64 ₹2,939
$147 SEK 1,442
-79.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Sweden
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$146 ₹14.0K
$863 SEK 8,483
-83.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$89.2 ₹8,557
$694 SEK 6,821
-87.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$334 ₹32.0K
$1,434 SEK 14.1K
-76.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$214 ₹20.5K
$1,155 SEK 11.3K
-81.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,206 ₹115.7K
$5,217 SEK 51.3K
-76.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$613 ₹58.8K
$3,320 SEK 32.6K
-81.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Sweden
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$435 ₹41.7K
$3,033 SEK 29.8K
-85.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.93
3.67
143.32%

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

Last update for India: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sweden: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $119 in India, $841 in Sweden. Capital cities: $270 in Delhi vs $1,771 in Stockholm.

National salary averages: $405 in India, $2,985 in Sweden. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 607% higher in Sweden.

Dining out costs 690% more in Sweden.

Public transport is 1043% more expensive in Sweden.

Salaries are 637% higher in Sweden, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Sweden.

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
India vs Sweden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Sweden?
At $527 per month in India and $2,034 in Sweden, there's a 286% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Sweden is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Sweden?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Sweden it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Sweden?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Sweden may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared