Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Sala Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Sala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,904 in Lund versus $1,500 in Sala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,030 in Lund versus $2,261 in Sala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,156 in Lund versus $3,021 in Sala.

Living in Lund is roughly 27% more expensive than in Sala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lund 43% above, Sala 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 121

$12.69 SEK 123

-1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 SEK 825

$62.2 SEK 602

37.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 SEK 118

$10.40 SEK 101

17.31%

Cappuccino

$4.85 SEK 46.92

$3.33 SEK 32.20

45.65%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.13

$1.80 SEK 17.40

56.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.79

$2.52 SEK 24.39

-18.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 SEK 79.5

$7.59 SEK 73.4

8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 SEK 70.8

$7.24 SEK 70.0

1.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.43

$1.80 SEK 17.42

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 SEK 21.34

$2.70 SEK 26.05

-18.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 29.15

$3.70 SEK 35.74

-18.38%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.02

$3.93 SEK 37.98

15.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 SEK 127

$11.83 SEK 114

10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 114

$11.84 SEK 114

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 SEK 167

$15.79 SEK 153

9.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.70

$3.08 SEK 29.80

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.81

$2.63 SEK 25.40

5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.75

$2.84 SEK 27.48

-2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 SEK 43.94

$5.23 SEK 50.5

-13.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 16.01

$1.56 SEK 15.11

6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 15.25

$1.19 SEK 11.46

32.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 25.14

$2.73 SEK 26.40

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$1.03 SEK 9.92

23.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 SEK 79.1

$7.20 SEK 69.6

13.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 SEK 109

$6.33 SEK 61.2

77.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.98

$2.56 SEK 24.71

-23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.64

$1.89 SEK 18.26

18.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 32.33

$3.19 SEK 30.83

4.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 SEK 652

$21.70 SEK 210

210.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 SEK 52.3

$6.21 SEK 60.0

-13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SEK 18.21

$1.65 SEK 15.98

13.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 SEK 609

$20.86 SEK 202

202.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.40

$1.94 SEK 18.70

-2.06%

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

$32.7K SEK 316.0K

$42.1K SEK 407.0K

-22.35%

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

$34.1K SEK 329.9K

$33.7K SEK 326.1K

1.19%

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

$122 SEK 1,179

$90.7 SEK 877

34.42%

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

$28.99 SEK 280

$20.78 SEK 201

39.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.22 SEK 398

$36.83 SEK 356

11.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 374

$47.60 SEK 460

-18.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 SEK 233

$21.00 SEK 203

14.71%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 SEK 176

$18.72 SEK 181

-2.94%

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

$179 SEK 1,730

$146 SEK 1,409

22.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,129 SEK 39.9K

$1,275 SEK 12.3K

223.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 SEK 776

$47.11 SEK 455

70.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SEK 581

$37.35 SEK 361

60.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 1,002

$55.7 SEK 538

86.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,259

$57.3 SEK 554

127.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 SEK 9,483

$751 SEK 7,263

30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 SEK 7,371

$542 SEK 5,237

40.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 SEK 15.6K

$968 SEK 9,354

66.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 SEK 12.6K

$739 SEK 7,143

76.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,408 SEK 61.9K

$4,097 SEK 39.6K

56.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 SEK 35.6K

$3,174 SEK 30.7K

16.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,972 SEK 28.7K

$2,497 SEK 24.1K

19.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.53

5.96%

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

Last update for Lund: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sala: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Lund and $751 in Sala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Lund vs $62.0 in Sala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $346 per month, with Sala 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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sala wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Lund. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Lund, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $981 in Lund versus $751 in Sala. 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 $1,500 in Sala – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sala runs roughly 211% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,500 in Sala versus $1,904 in Lund, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sala but tight or insufficient in Lund. The gap between the two cities makes Sala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,500 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lund and Sala 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 Sala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.