Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Lund Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Lund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,779 per month in Karlstad vs $1,926 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,685 per month in Karlstad vs $2,992 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,592 per month in Karlstad vs $4,058 in Lund, rent included.

Karlstad is about 8% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karlstad and Lund sit above the global median – Karlstad by 34%, Lund by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.58 SEK 148

$12.53 SEK 119

24.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 SEK 655

$88.1 SEK 837

-21.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 SEK 104

$11.83 SEK 112

-7.27%

Cappuccino

$4.83 SEK 45.88

$5.10 SEK 48.41

-5.29%

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

$2.58 SEK 24.54

$2.93 SEK 27.88

-11.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 20.98

$2.09 SEK 19.83

5.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 SEK 78.4

$8.30 SEK 78.9

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.26 SEK 78.5

$7.42 SEK 70.5

11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 SEK 13.17

$1.68 SEK 15.93

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 27.01

$2.22 SEK 21.11

27.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.72

$2.91 SEK 27.67

32.99%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 45.44

$4.45 SEK 42.26

7.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 116

$12.83 SEK 122

-5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 SEK 136

$11.71 SEK 111

21.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SEK 161

$17.12 SEK 163

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.28

$3.31 SEK 31.40

-9.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 24.21

$2.90 SEK 27.51

-12.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.95

$2.88 SEK 27.38

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 48.24

$4.39 SEK 41.74

15.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 SEK 15.68

$1.67 SEK 15.90

-1.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 16.87

$1.59 SEK 15.15

11.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 SEK 25.58

$2.64 SEK 25.04

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 12.36

$1.29 SEK 12.25

0.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 69.4

$8.17 SEK 77.6

-10.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 SEK 98.1

$11.23 SEK 107

-8.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.62

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.16

$2.18 SEK 20.69

-22.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.18

$3.33 SEK 31.61

-1.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 SEK 794

$66.3 SEK 630

25.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 SEK 55.3

$5.70 SEK 54.2

2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.75

$1.83 SEK 17.35

-26.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 SEK 619

$64.0 SEK 608

1.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.45

$1.89 SEK 17.97

2.65%

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

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

$33.2K SEK 314.9K

-0.02%

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

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

$34.8K SEK 330.9K

-0.82%

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

$104 SEK 992

$123 SEK 1,166

-14.94%

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

$29.68 SEK 282

$28.46 SEK 270

4.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 SEK 406

$41.07 SEK 390

3.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.46 SEK 441

$38.84 SEK 369

19.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 SEK 162

$24.02 SEK 228

-29.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 SEK 137

$17.66 SEK 168

-18.23%

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

$150 SEK 1,422

$179 SEK 1,697

-16.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

$4,216 SEK 40.0K

-25.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 SEK 837

$79.6 SEK 756

10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 SEK 396

$61.5 SEK 584

-32.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 790

$103 SEK 983

-19.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,401

$128 SEK 1,219

14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

$954 SEK 9,067

10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 SEK 5,599

$775 SEK 7,360

-23.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

$1,648 SEK 15.7K

-24.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 SEK 8,604

$1,312 SEK 12.5K

-30.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,215 SEK 59.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 SEK 34.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

$3,034 SEK 28.8K

3.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

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

Last update for Karlstad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lund: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,056 in Karlstad versus $954 in Lund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Karlstad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Karlstad versus $88.0 in Lund. Groceries tell a different story – $372 in Karlstad vs $355 in Lund – so Lund wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Karlstad vs Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lund is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,668 per month in Karlstad and $2,890 in Lund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlstad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Karlstad and $88.0 in Lund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,779 in Karlstad and $1,926 in Lund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlstad, where all-in costs run around $1,779, than in Lund at $1,926. In Karlstad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlstad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karlstad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.