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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Lund costs about 8% more than Karlstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.87 SEK 120

$15.54 SEK 145

-17.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 SEK 794

$67.2 SEK 625

26.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 SEK 111

$10.96 SEK 102

8.94%

Cappuccino

$5.09 SEK 47.37

$4.81 SEK 44.77

5.82%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.35

$2.57 SEK 23.87

10.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.05

$2.12 SEK 19.73

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 SEK 77.1

$8.27 SEK 76.9

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 SEK 70.1

$8.20 SEK 76.3

-8.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.58

$1.41 SEK 13.11

19.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 SEK 20.63

$2.85 SEK 26.52

-22.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 28.04

$3.79 SEK 35.23

-20.32%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.06

$4.86 SEK 45.17

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 SEK 120

$12.00 SEK 112

7.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 SEK 107

$13.92 SEK 129

-17.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 SEK 161

$17.02 SEK 158

1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.34

$3.09 SEK 28.73

5.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 25.85

$2.55 SEK 23.75

9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 26.87

$3.26 SEK 30.29

-11.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 40.84

$4.99 SEK 46.37

-12.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.20

$1.58 SEK 14.73

10.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 14.78

$1.74 SEK 16.16

-8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.47

$2.62 SEK 24.37

0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 SEK 11.40

$1.27 SEK 11.84

-3.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.26 SEK 76.8

$7.25 SEK 67.4

13.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 SEK 101

$10.87 SEK 101

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 18.86

$1.76 SEK 16.33

15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 20.60

$1.71 SEK 15.94

29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.58

$3.20 SEK 29.73

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 SEK 611

$85.0 SEK 791

-22.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 SEK 50.6

$5.69 SEK 52.9

-4.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SEK 17.68

$1.36 SEK 12.65

39.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 586

$64.2 SEK 597

-1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.71

$2.01 SEK 18.73

-5.47%

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

$32.9K SEK 306.1K

$32.0K SEK 297.4K

2.95%

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

$34.4K SEK 319.5K

$34.0K SEK 316.0K

1.08%

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

$122 SEK 1,137

$108 SEK 1,004

13.24%

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

$29.02 SEK 270

$29.61 SEK 275

-1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.65 SEK 387

$42.92 SEK 399

-2.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.28 SEK 365

$46.25 SEK 430

-15.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 SEK 227

$17.56 SEK 163

39.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.76 SEK 165

$14.65 SEK 136

21.23%

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

$179 SEK 1,664

$150 SEK 1,393

19.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,093 SEK 38.1K

$3,178 SEK 29.6K

28.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 SEK 754

$86.7 SEK 806

-6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 SEK 569

$42.09 SEK 391

45.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 SEK 980

$80.7 SEK 750

30.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 SEK 1,186

$147 SEK 1,368

-13.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 SEK 8,921

$1,046 SEK 9,726

-8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 SEK 7,216

$572 SEK 5,321

35.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 SEK 14.9K

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

29.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 SEK 12.1K

$882 SEK 8,198

48.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,786 SEK 63.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,776 SEK 35.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,253 SEK 30.3K

$3,375 SEK 31.4K

-3.64%

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 Lund: April 27, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Lund versus $1,046 in Karlstad. 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 $85.0 in Lund versus $67.0 in Karlstad. Groceries tell a different story – $353 in Lund vs $371 in Karlstad – 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

Lund vs Karlstad: 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 $2,851 per month in Lund and $2,651 in Karlstad. 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 $85.0 in Lund and $67.0 in Karlstad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,901 in Lund and $1,767 in Karlstad. 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.