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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,787 per month in Karlstad vs $1,848 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,727 per month in Karlstad vs $2,994 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,666 per month in Karlstad vs $4,141 in Lund, rent included.

Karlstad is about 3% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Karlstad and Lund sit above the global median – Karlstad by 31%, Lund by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 SEK 150

$13.13 SEK 129

16.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 SEK 797

$93.7 SEK 924

-13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 SEK 102

$12.22 SEK 120

-15.06%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 48.57

$4.90 SEK 48.32

0.61%

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

$2.55 SEK 25.09

$2.76 SEK 27.25

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 20.17

$2.17 SEK 21.38

-5.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 80.1

$8.24 SEK 81.2

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 SEK 64.8

$7.30 SEK 71.9

-9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 15.12

$1.76 SEK 17.37

-13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 SEK 28.38

$2.70 SEK 26.57

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 36.51

$3.65 SEK 35.98

1.37%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.82

$4.69 SEK 46.21

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 SEK 101

$12.68 SEK 125

-19.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 SEK 142

$12.13 SEK 119

18.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.10 SEK 178

$17.00 SEK 168

6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 29.58

$3.10 SEK 30.58

-3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 26.58

$3.06 SEK 30.11

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.90

$2.90 SEK 28.61

8.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 SEK 54.2

$4.70 SEK 46.35

17.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.78

$1.82 SEK 17.89

-1.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.13

$1.45 SEK 14.25

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 26.63

$2.76 SEK 27.17

-2.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 13.23

$1.56 SEK 15.34

-14.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 SEK 69.8

$8.11 SEK 80.0

-12.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 SEK 100

$11.12 SEK 110

-8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 SEK 24.00

$1.90 SEK 18.69

28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SEK 20.28

$2.76 SEK 27.18

-25.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 SEK 32.12

$3.37 SEK 33.17

-3.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.4 SEK 802

$65.6 SEK 647

24.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 SEK 55.7

$5.09 SEK 50.2

11.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SEK 13.30

$1.10 SEK 10.85

22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 626

$42.79 SEK 422

48.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 18.04

$1.77 SEK 17.44

3.39%

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

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

$34.5K SEK 339.5K

-1.35%

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

$33.0K SEK 325.5K

$33.2K SEK 327.6K

-0.63%

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

$102 SEK 1,005

$80.6 SEK 794

26.47%

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

$18.84 SEK 186

$30.82 SEK 304

-38.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.60 SEK 440

$42.87 SEK 422

4.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.80 SEK 461

$37.93 SEK 374

23.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 SEK 168

$28.37 SEK 280

-39.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 SEK 145

$15.18 SEK 150

-2.96%

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

$132 SEK 1,298

$160 SEK 1,577

-17.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 SEK 918

$83.0 SEK 818

12.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.89 SEK 403

$58.9 SEK 581

-30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 SEK 744

$102 SEK 1,005

-25.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 SEK 1,435

$125 SEK 1,235

16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 SEK 8,673

$852 SEK 8,396

3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 SEK 5,873

$677 SEK 6,676

-12.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SEK 12.0K

$1,738 SEK 17.1K

-29.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 SEK 8,485

$1,428 SEK 14.1K

-39.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,869 SEK 38.1K

$6,299 SEK 62.1K

-38.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 SEK 28.2K

$3,696 SEK 36.4K

-22.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 SEK 30.3K

$2,988 SEK 29.4K

2.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

3.03

30.03%

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

Last update for Karlstad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lund: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Karlstad versus $852 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 3% 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 $81.0 in Karlstad versus $94.0 in Lund. Groceries tell a different story – $378 in Karlstad vs $372 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 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,681 per month in Karlstad and $2,772 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 $81.0 in Karlstad and $94.0 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 $1,787 in Karlstad and $1,848 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 $1,787, than in Lund at $1,848. 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.