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: $1,904 in Lund versus $1,609 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,030 in Lund versus $2,497 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,156 in Lund versus $3,386 in Bålsta.

Living in Lund is roughly 18% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lund 43% above, Bålsta 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 121

$12.92 SEK 125

-2.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 SEK 825

$67.5 SEK 652

26.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 SEK 118

$9.24 SEK 89.4

32.03%

Cappuccino

$4.85 SEK 46.92

$4.15 SEK 40.11

16.87%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.13

$2.78 SEK 26.92

1.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.79

$2.38 SEK 22.99

-13.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 SEK 79.5

$7.53 SEK 72.8

9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 SEK 70.8

$7.42 SEK 71.7

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.43

$1.60 SEK 15.48

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 SEK 21.34

$2.13 SEK 20.57

3.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 29.15

$3.79 SEK 36.66

-20.32%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.02

$3.86 SEK 37.30

17.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 SEK 127

$11.70 SEK 113

12.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 114

$11.82 SEK 114

-0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 SEK 167

$11.43 SEK 110

51.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.70

$2.57 SEK 24.87

23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.81

$2.69 SEK 26.00

2.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.75

$2.34 SEK 22.63

18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 SEK 43.94

$3.01 SEK 29.13

51.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 16.01

$1.57 SEK 15.16

5.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 15.25

$1.30 SEK 12.61

21.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 25.14

$1.56 SEK 15.08

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$1.07 SEK 10.34

18.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 SEK 79.1

$7.57 SEK 73.2

8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 SEK 109

$10.24 SEK 99.0

9.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.98

$1.60 SEK 15.45

22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.64

$1.92 SEK 18.52

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 32.33

$3.28 SEK 31.71

1.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 SEK 652

$74.9 SEK 724

-10.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 SEK 52.3

$6.39 SEK 61.7

-15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SEK 18.21

$1.22 SEK 11.82

54.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 SEK 609

$81.6 SEK 788

-22.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.40

$1.93 SEK 18.70

-1.55%

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

$32.7K SEK 316.0K

$32.8K SEK 316.8K

-0.26%

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

$34.1K SEK 329.9K

$34.7K SEK 335.9K

-1.77%

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

$122 SEK 1,179

$52.0 SEK 503

134.34%

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

$28.99 SEK 280

$21.11 SEK 204

37.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.22 SEK 398

$36.55 SEK 353

12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 374

$40.47 SEK 391

-4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 SEK 233

$24.85 SEK 240

-3.06%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 SEK 176

$13.65 SEK 132

33.11%

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

$179 SEK 1,730

$128 SEK 1,241

39.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,129 SEK 39.9K

$734 SEK 7,091

462.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 SEK 776

$74.9 SEK 724

7.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SEK 581

$10.69 SEK 103

462.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 1,002

$85.1 SEK 823

21.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,259

$115 SEK 1,110

13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 SEK 9,483

$824 SEK 7,962

19.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 SEK 7,371

$663 SEK 6,408

15.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 SEK 15.6K

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 SEK 12.6K

$1,065 SEK 10.3K

22.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,408 SEK 61.9K

$3,802 SEK 36.7K

68.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 SEK 35.6K

$3,106 SEK 30.0K

18.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,972 SEK 28.7K

$3,963 SEK 38.3K

-24.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

60.00%

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

Last update for Lund: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Lund and $824 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Lund vs $67.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $309 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 18% 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 33% 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: $981 in Lund versus $824 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,904 per month in Lund versus $1,609 in Bålsta – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 11% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,609 in Bålsta versus $1,904 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 $1,609 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 18% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.