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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Lund costs about 11% more than Karlstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.58 SEK 118

$15.95 SEK 150

-21.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 SEK 819

$68.7 SEK 645

26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 SEK 111

$11.17 SEK 105

5.73%

Cappuccino

$5.11 SEK 47.96

$4.96 SEK 46.57

3.02%

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

$2.93 SEK 27.46

$2.70 SEK 25.36

8.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 19.70

$2.20 SEK 20.67

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 SEK 77.8

$8.52 SEK 79.9

-2.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$8.31 SEK 78.0

-8.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SEK 14.94

$1.44 SEK 13.47

10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 SEK 20.17

$2.89 SEK 27.11

-25.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 SEK 28.47

$3.92 SEK 36.78

-22.45%

Eggs

$4.56 SEK 42.82

$4.76 SEK 44.61

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 SEK 123

$12.33 SEK 116

6.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 SEK 108

$14.25 SEK 134

-19.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 SEK 161

$17.02 SEK 160

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SEK 31.20

$2.99 SEK 28.05

11.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 26.35

$2.58 SEK 24.24

8.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.54

$3.23 SEK 30.32

-12.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 SEK 40.58

$5.08 SEK 47.62

-14.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 15.64

$1.58 SEK 14.82

5.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.36

$1.75 SEK 16.41

-6.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 SEK 25.01

$2.60 SEK 24.43

2.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.08

$1.26 SEK 11.86

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SEK 75.2

$7.29 SEK 68.4

9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 SEK 110

$10.69 SEK 100

10.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.52

$1.74 SEK 16.33

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SEK 20.35

$1.69 SEK 15.85

28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.35 SEK 31.42

$3.20 SEK 30.06

4.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 SEK 624

$85.3 SEK 800

-22.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 SEK 51.5

$5.74 SEK 53.9

-4.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SEK 17.63

$1.34 SEK 12.62

40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.2 SEK 593

$64.6 SEK 606

-2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.24

$1.99 SEK 18.65

-2.51%

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

$32.1K SEK 301.2K

$32.0K SEK 300.0K

0.40%

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

$34.7K SEK 325.7K

$34.4K SEK 322.5K

0.98%

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

$123 SEK 1,153

$104 SEK 979

17.71%

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

$28.79 SEK 270

$29.36 SEK 275

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.62 SEK 390

$43.62 SEK 409

-4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.65 SEK 363

$46.21 SEK 433

-16.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.34 SEK 228

$17.25 SEK 162

41.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.77 SEK 167

$14.26 SEK 134

24.61%

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

$178 SEK 1,667

$146 SEK 1,374

21.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,176 SEK 39.2K

$3,179 SEK 29.8K

31.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 SEK 740

$86.4 SEK 811

-8.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SEK 559

$41.41 SEK 388

43.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 SEK 989

$82.6 SEK 775

27.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SEK 1,229

$148 SEK 1,386

-11.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 SEK 9,113

$1,065 SEK 9,987

-8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 SEK 7,231

$572 SEK 5,365

34.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 SEK 15.0K

$1,212 SEK 11.4K

32.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 SEK 12.2K

$907 SEK 8,512

42.88%

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)

$3,067 SEK 28.8K

$3,261 SEK 30.6K

-5.97%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Lund versus $1,065 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 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 $87.0 in Lund versus $69.0 in Karlstad. Groceries tell a different story – $355 in Lund vs $373 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 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 $2,899 per month in Lund and $2,609 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 $87.0 in Lund and $69.0 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 $1,932 in Lund and $1,739 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 $1,739, 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.