Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Bålsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Bålsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,854 in Lund versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,027 in Lund versus $2,567 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,201 in Lund versus $3,507 in Bålsta.

Living in Lund is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lund 35% above, Bålsta 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.54 SEK 129

$14.20 SEK 136

-4.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 SEK 904

$68.1 SEK 652

38.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.34 SEK 118

$9.12 SEK 87.3

35.31%

Cappuccino

$4.79 SEK 45.84

$4.32 SEK 41.34

10.88%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.62

$2.79 SEK 26.66

-0.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 20.31

$2.29 SEK 21.90

-7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 77.7

$7.26 SEK 69.4

11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 71.9

$7.36 SEK 70.4

2.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.56

$1.55 SEK 14.83

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 26.22

$2.05 SEK 19.62

33.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.06

$3.70 SEK 35.43

1.89%

Eggs

$4.58 SEK 43.83

$3.81 SEK 36.41

20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 SEK 126

$11.69 SEK 112

12.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.10 SEK 116

$12.50 SEK 120

-3.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 SEK 167

$11.46 SEK 110

52.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.08

$2.69 SEK 25.74

16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.53

$2.80 SEK 26.79

6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.37

$2.15 SEK 20.54

38.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 SEK 46.13

$2.97 SEK 28.38

62.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.81

$1.54 SEK 14.75

20.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.72

$1.28 SEK 12.24

11.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 SEK 26.63

$1.62 SEK 15.50

71.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SEK 14.55

$1.07 SEK 10.24

42.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.29 SEK 79.3

$7.27 SEK 69.6

14.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.62 SEK 111

$10.58 SEK 101

9.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.08

$1.55 SEK 14.84

28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 26.43

$2.08 SEK 19.86

32.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 SEK 31.13

$3.47 SEK 33.16

-6.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 SEK 633

$80.2 SEK 767

-17.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 SEK 51.3

$6.04 SEK 57.8

-11.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SEK 11.05

$1.60 SEK 15.34

-27.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.94 SEK 411

$83.0 SEK 794

-48.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.90

$1.84 SEK 17.65

1.63%

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

$35.0K SEK 334.6K

$35.4K SEK 338.5K

-1.14%

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

$33.9K SEK 324.3K

$34.3K SEK 327.9K

-1.08%

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

$82.2 SEK 786

$53.6 SEK 513

53.30%

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

$32.06 SEK 307

$21.09 SEK 202

52.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.65 SEK 418

$41.49 SEK 397

5.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.47 SEK 368

$39.72 SEK 380

-3.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.42 SEK 272

$26.61 SEK 255

6.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.94 SEK 152

$13.50 SEK 129

18.07%

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

$167 SEK 1,600

$127 SEK 1,213

31.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,225 SEK 50.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.8 SEK 811

$73.2 SEK 700

15.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 SEK 580

$10.59 SEK 101

472.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 1,010

$84.1 SEK 804

25.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,244

$115 SEK 1,103

12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 SEK 8,323

$856 SEK 8,185

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 SEK 6,844

$626 SEK 5,992

14.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 SEK 17.4K

$1,390 SEK 13.3K

31.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 SEK 13.9K

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

35.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,563 SEK 62.8K

$4,199 SEK 40.2K

56.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,707 SEK 35.5K

$2,939 SEK 28.1K

26.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,096 SEK 29.6K

$4,069 SEK 38.9K

-23.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

1.00%

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

Last update for Lund: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $870 in Lund and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Lund vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $311 per month, with Bålsta cheaper across the board.

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

Lund vs Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Lund. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Bålsta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $870 in Lund versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,854 per month in Lund versus $1,626 in Bålsta – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 21% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $1,854 in Lund, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Lund. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lund and Bålsta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.