Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Skovde Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Skovde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,926 in Lund versus $1,855 in Skovde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,992 in Lund versus $2,905 in Skovde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,058 in Lund versus $3,955 in Skovde.

Living in Lund is roughly 4% more expensive than in Skovde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lund 45% above, Skovde 39% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lund
Skovde
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.53 SEK 121
$16.00 SEK 154
-21.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.1 SEK 849
$68.2 SEK 658
29.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.83 SEK 114
$11.75 SEK 113
0.68%
Cappuccino
$5.10 SEK 49.13
$4.81 SEK 46.40
6.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 SEK 28.29
$2.75 SEK 26.50
6.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 SEK 20.12
$2.14 SEK 20.59
-2.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.30 SEK 80.1
$8.26 SEK 79.6
0.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.42 SEK 71.5
$8.80 SEK 84.9
-15.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lund
Skovde
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 SEK 16.17
$1.65 SEK 15.94
1.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 SEK 21.42
$2.87 SEK 27.65
-22.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 SEK 28.08
$4.46 SEK 42.97
-34.75%
Eggs
$4.45 SEK 42.88
$4.94 SEK 47.59
-9.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.83 SEK 124
$11.91 SEK 115
7.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.71 SEK 113
$14.08 SEK 136
-16.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.12 SEK 165
$16.99 SEK 164
0.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 SEK 31.87
$3.84 SEK 37.03
-13.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.90 SEK 27.92
$2.87 SEK 27.64
1.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.88 SEK 27.79
$3.62 SEK 34.93
-20.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.39 SEK 42.36
$5.12 SEK 49.39
-14.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 SEK 16.14
$1.59 SEK 15.29
5.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 SEK 15.37
$1.77 SEK 17.02
-10.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 SEK 25.41
$2.73 SEK 26.30
-3.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 SEK 12.43
$1.26 SEK 12.11
2.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.17 SEK 78.7
$7.97 SEK 76.8
2.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.23 SEK 108
$8.23 SEK 79.4
36.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 SEK 18.97
$2.48 SEK 23.95
-20.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 SEK 21.00
$2.59 SEK 24.93
-15.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Lund
Skovde
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.33 SEK 32.08
$3.85 SEK 37.13
-13.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.3 SEK 639
$74.7 SEK 721
-11.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.70 SEK 55.0
$5.73 SEK 55.2
-0.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.83 SEK 17.61
$1.67 SEK 16.08
9.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$64.0 SEK 617
$65.4 SEK 630
-2.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 SEK 18.23
$1.98 SEK 19.10
-4.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K SEK 319.6K
$33.1K SEK 318.9K
0.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K SEK 335.8K
$33.7K SEK 324.6K
3.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lund
Skovde
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 SEK 1,184
$112 SEK 1,077
9.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.46 SEK 274
$28.87 SEK 278
-1.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.07 SEK 396
$42.79 SEK 413
-4.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lund
Skovde
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.84 SEK 374
$41.05 SEK 396
-5.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.02 SEK 232
$25.00 SEK 241
-3.92%
Cinema Ticket
$17.66 SEK 170
$20.18 SEK 195
-12.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lund
Skovde
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$179 SEK 1,723
$150 SEK 1,442
19.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,216 SEK 40.6K
$5,481 SEK 52.8K
-23.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lund
Skovde
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.6 SEK 767
$86.3 SEK 832
-7.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.5 SEK 593
$42.09 SEK 406
46.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 SEK 998
$101 SEK 977
2.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 SEK 1,237
$159 SEK 1,530
-19.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lund
Skovde
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$954 SEK 9,202
$854 SEK 8,237
11.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$775 SEK 7,469
$659 SEK 6,355
17.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,648 SEK 15.9K
$1,372 SEK 13.2K
20.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,312 SEK 12.6K
$1,092 SEK 10.5K
20.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,215 SEK 59.9K
$4,135 SEK 39.9K
50.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,577 SEK 34.5K
$2,805 SEK 27.0K
27.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lund
Skovde
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,034 SEK 29.3K
$3,415 SEK 32.9K
-11.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.8
4.8
-

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

Last update for Lund: July 26, 2026

Last update for Skovde: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $954 in Lund and $854 in Skovde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skovde pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $88.0 in Lund vs $68.0 in Skovde. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $385, with Lund cheaper for home cooking.

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 Skovde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lund and in Skovde?
Lund and Skovde differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,926 vs $1,855 including rent). Skovde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Are salaries higher in Lund or in Skovde?
On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Skovde. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lund compared to Skovde?
Rent for a central apartment: $954 in Lund versus $854 in Skovde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Lund compared to Skovde?
All in, you'll spend $1,926 per month in Lund versus $1,855 in Skovde – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Lund compared to Skovde?
A monthly transit pass in Skovde runs roughly 13% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lund or in Skovde?
At $1,855 in Skovde versus $1,926 in Lund, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Skovde but tight or insufficient in Lund. The gap between the two cities makes Skovde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lund or Skovde?
Both work as nomad bases, but Skovde delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,855 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Skovde hard to pass up.
How safe is Lund compared to Skovde?
Safety-wise, Lund and Skovde are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Skovde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lund vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities