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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Karlstad vs $1,932 in Lund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,699 per month in Karlstad vs $2,995 in Lund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,658 per month in Karlstad vs $4,057 in Lund, rent included.

Karlstad is about 10% cheaper than Lund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karlstad and Lund sit above the global median – Karlstad by 29%, Lund by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 150

$12.58 SEK 118

26.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 645

$87.3 SEK 819

-21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 SEK 105

$11.81 SEK 111

-5.42%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 46.57

$5.11 SEK 47.96

-2.94%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.36

$2.93 SEK 27.46

-7.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.67

$2.10 SEK 19.70

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 SEK 79.9

$8.30 SEK 77.8

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 78.0

$7.58 SEK 71.1

9.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 SEK 13.47

$1.59 SEK 14.94

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.11

$2.15 SEK 20.17

34.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 36.78

$3.04 SEK 28.47

28.95%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 44.61

$4.56 SEK 42.82

4.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 SEK 116

$13.15 SEK 123

-6.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 SEK 134

$11.53 SEK 108

23.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 160

$17.21 SEK 161

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.05

$3.33 SEK 31.20

-10.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.24

$2.81 SEK 26.35

-8.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.32

$2.83 SEK 26.54

14.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 47.62

$4.33 SEK 40.58

17.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.67 SEK 15.64

-5.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 SEK 16.41

$1.64 SEK 15.36

6.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.43

$2.67 SEK 25.01

-2.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 SEK 11.86

$1.29 SEK 12.08

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SEK 68.4

$8.01 SEK 75.2

-8.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 SEK 100

$11.76 SEK 110

-9.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.33

$1.97 SEK 18.52

-11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SEK 15.85

$2.17 SEK 20.35

-22.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 30.06

$3.35 SEK 31.42

-4.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.3 SEK 800

$66.5 SEK 624

28.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 SEK 53.9

$5.48 SEK 51.5

4.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.62

$1.88 SEK 17.63

-28.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.6 SEK 606

$63.2 SEK 593

2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.65

$1.94 SEK 18.24

2.58%

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

$32.0K SEK 300.0K

$32.1K SEK 301.2K

-0.40%

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

$34.4K SEK 322.5K

$34.7K SEK 325.7K

-0.97%

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

$104 SEK 979

$123 SEK 1,153

-15.05%

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

$29.36 SEK 275

$28.79 SEK 270

1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.62 SEK 409

$41.62 SEK 390

4.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.21 SEK 433

$38.65 SEK 363

19.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 SEK 162

$24.34 SEK 228

-29.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 SEK 134

$17.77 SEK 167

-19.75%

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

$146 SEK 1,374

$178 SEK 1,667

-17.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,179 SEK 29.8K

$4,176 SEK 39.2K

-23.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 SEK 811

$78.9 SEK 740

9.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.41 SEK 388

$59.6 SEK 559

-30.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 SEK 775

$105 SEK 989

-21.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 SEK 1,386

$131 SEK 1,229

12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 SEK 9,987

$971 SEK 9,113

9.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,365

$771 SEK 7,231

-25.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 SEK 11.4K

$1,602 SEK 15.0K

-24.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 SEK 8,512

$1,296 SEK 12.2K

-30.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,539 SEK 61.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,739 SEK 35.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,261 SEK 30.6K

$3,067 SEK 28.8K

6.35%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Lund: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,065 in Karlstad versus $971 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 6% 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 $87.0 in Lund. Groceries tell a different story – $373 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 11%, 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 $2,609 per month in Karlstad and $2,899 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 $87.0 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 $1,739 in Karlstad and $1,932 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 $1,739, than in Lund at $1,932. 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.