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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Karlstad vs $1,901 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,725 per month in Karlstad vs $3,010 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,683 per month in Karlstad vs $4,119 in Lund, rent included.

Karlstad is about 7% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karlstad and Lund sit above the global median – Karlstad by 32%, Lund by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.54 SEK 144

$12.87 SEK 119

20.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 SEK 623

$85.3 SEK 791

-21.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 SEK 102

$11.94 SEK 111

-8.21%

Cappuccino

$4.81 SEK 44.62

$5.09 SEK 47.22

-5.50%

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

$2.57 SEK 23.79

$2.83 SEK 26.26

-9.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.66

$2.16 SEK 19.99

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 SEK 76.7

$8.30 SEK 76.9

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 76.0

$7.54 SEK 69.9

8.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 SEK 13.07

$1.68 SEK 15.53

-16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 SEK 26.43

$2.22 SEK 20.57

28.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.12

$3.02 SEK 27.95

25.50%

Eggs

$4.86 SEK 45.02

$4.42 SEK 40.93

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 SEK 111

$12.87 SEK 119

-6.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 SEK 129

$11.53 SEK 107

20.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 158

$17.27 SEK 160

-1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 28.64

$3.26 SEK 30.24

-5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 23.67

$2.78 SEK 25.77

-8.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.20

$2.89 SEK 26.78

12.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 46.22

$4.39 SEK 40.71

13.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.69

$1.74 SEK 16.15

-9.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.10

$1.59 SEK 14.73

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.29

$2.63 SEK 24.39

-0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 11.80

$1.23 SEK 11.36

3.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SEK 67.2

$8.26 SEK 76.5

-12.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 SEK 101

$10.83 SEK 100

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 16.28

$2.03 SEK 18.80

-13.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.88

$2.22 SEK 20.53

-22.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 29.63

$3.40 SEK 31.48

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 SEK 788

$65.7 SEK 609

29.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 52.7

$5.45 SEK 50.5

4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SEK 12.61

$1.90 SEK 17.63

-28.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 595

$63.1 SEK 585

1.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.67

$1.90 SEK 17.65

5.79%

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

$32.0K SEK 296.4K

$32.9K SEK 305.2K

-2.86%

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

$34.0K SEK 315.0K

$34.4K SEK 318.4K

-1.07%

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

$108 SEK 1,001

$122 SEK 1,134

-11.69%

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

$29.61 SEK 274

$29.02 SEK 269

2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 SEK 398

$41.65 SEK 386

3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.25 SEK 429

$39.28 SEK 364

17.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 SEK 163

$24.43 SEK 227

-28.12%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 SEK 136

$17.76 SEK 165

-17.51%

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

$150 SEK 1,389

$179 SEK 1,658

-16.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,178 SEK 29.5K

$4,093 SEK 37.9K

-22.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 SEK 804

$81.1 SEK 751

6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 SEK 390

$61.1 SEK 567

-31.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SEK 748

$105 SEK 976

-23.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,363

$127 SEK 1,182

15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 9,695

$959 SEK 8,892

9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,303

$776 SEK 7,193

-26.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

$1,605 SEK 14.9K

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 SEK 8,172

$1,306 SEK 12.1K

-32.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,786 SEK 62.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,776 SEK 35.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,375 SEK 31.3K

$3,253 SEK 30.2K

3.77%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lund: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Karlstad versus $959 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 $67.0 in Karlstad versus $85.0 in Lund. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Karlstad vs $353 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 Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,651 per month in Karlstad and $2,851 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 $67.0 in Karlstad and $85.0 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 $1,767 in Karlstad and $1,901 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 $1,767, than in Lund at $1,901. 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.