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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,848 per month in Lund vs $1,787 in Karlstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,994 per month in Lund vs $2,727 in Karlstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,141 per month in Lund vs $3,666 in Karlstad, rent included.

Lund costs about 3% more than Karlstad, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lund and Karlstad sit above the global median – Lund by 35%, Karlstad by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 SEK 129

$15.27 SEK 150

-14.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.7 SEK 924

$80.9 SEK 797

15.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 SEK 120

$10.38 SEK 102

17.73%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SEK 48.32

$4.93 SEK 48.57

-0.61%

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

$2.76 SEK 27.25

$2.55 SEK 25.09

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SEK 21.38

$2.05 SEK 20.17

5.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 SEK 81.2

$8.13 SEK 80.1

1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 SEK 71.9

$6.58 SEK 64.8

10.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.37

$1.53 SEK 15.12

15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 SEK 26.57

$2.88 SEK 28.38

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 35.98

$3.70 SEK 36.51

-1.35%

Eggs

$4.69 SEK 46.21

$4.55 SEK 44.82

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 SEK 125

$10.25 SEK 101

23.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.13 SEK 119

$14.40 SEK 142

-15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.00 SEK 168

$18.10 SEK 178

-6.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 30.58

$3.00 SEK 29.58

3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 SEK 30.11

$2.70 SEK 26.58

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.61

$3.14 SEK 30.90

-7.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 46.35

$5.50 SEK 54.2

-14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.89

$1.80 SEK 17.78

1.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 SEK 14.25

$1.74 SEK 17.13

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 SEK 27.17

$2.70 SEK 26.63

2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 15.34

$1.34 SEK 13.23

16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.11 SEK 80.0

$7.08 SEK 69.8

14.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 SEK 110

$10.15 SEK 100

9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 18.69

$2.44 SEK 24.00

-22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 27.18

$2.06 SEK 20.28

33.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.37 SEK 33.17

$3.26 SEK 32.12

3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.6 SEK 647

$81.4 SEK 802

-19.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 SEK 50.2

$5.65 SEK 55.7

-9.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 SEK 10.85

$1.35 SEK 13.30

-18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.79 SEK 422

$63.5 SEK 626

-32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 SEK 17.44

$1.83 SEK 18.04

-3.28%

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

$34.5K SEK 339.5K

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

1.37%

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

$33.2K SEK 327.6K

$33.0K SEK 325.5K

0.64%

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

$80.6 SEK 794

$102 SEK 1,005

-20.93%

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

$30.82 SEK 304

$18.84 SEK 186

63.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.87 SEK 422

$44.60 SEK 440

-3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.93 SEK 374

$46.80 SEK 461

-18.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.37 SEK 280

$17.06 SEK 168

66.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 SEK 150

$14.73 SEK 145

3.05%

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

$160 SEK 1,577

$132 SEK 1,298

21.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.0 SEK 818

$93.2 SEK 918

-10.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 SEK 581

$40.89 SEK 403

44.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 SEK 1,005

$75.5 SEK 744

35.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 SEK 1,235

$146 SEK 1,435

-13.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 SEK 8,396

$880 SEK 8,673

-3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 SEK 6,676

$596 SEK 5,873

13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 SEK 17.1K

$1,219 SEK 12.0K

42.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 SEK 14.1K

$861 SEK 8,485

65.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,299 SEK 62.1K

$3,869 SEK 38.1K

62.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,696 SEK 36.4K

$2,857 SEK 28.2K

29.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 SEK 29.4K

$3,074 SEK 30.3K

-2.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

3.94

-23.10%

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

Last update for Lund: September 12, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Lund versus $880 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 3% 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 $94.0 in Lund versus $81.0 in Karlstad. Groceries tell a different story – $372 in Lund vs $378 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 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,772 per month in Lund and $2,681 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 $94.0 in Lund and $81.0 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 $1,848 in Lund and $1,787 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 $1,787, than in Lund at $1,848. 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.