Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Umea Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Umea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,904 in Lund versus $1,695 in Umea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,030 in Lund versus $2,667 in Umea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,156 in Lund versus $3,639 in Umea.

Living in Lund is roughly 12% more expensive than in Umea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lund 43% above, Umea 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 121

$16.05 SEK 155

-21.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 SEK 822

$83.3 SEK 803

2.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 SEK 118

$11.75 SEK 113

3.83%

Cappuccino

$4.85 SEK 46.77

$4.12 SEK 39.68

17.72%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.04

$3.39 SEK 32.70

-17.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.73

$2.59 SEK 24.97

-20.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 SEK 79.3

$9.11 SEK 87.8

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 SEK 70.6

$7.43 SEK 71.6

-1.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.38

$1.73 SEK 16.66

-7.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 SEK 21.27

$3.49 SEK 33.61

-36.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 29.06

$4.24 SEK 40.86

-28.77%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 43.89

$4.32 SEK 41.61

5.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 SEK 126

$11.50 SEK 111

14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 113

$10.99 SEK 106

7.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 SEK 167

$18.49 SEK 178

-6.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.61

$2.82 SEK 27.18

12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.73

$2.32 SEK 22.35

19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.67

$2.99 SEK 28.77

-7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 SEK 43.81

$4.48 SEK 43.21

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.96

$1.72 SEK 16.55

-3.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 15.20

$1.84 SEK 17.74

-14.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 25.06

$2.62 SEK 25.21

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.25

$1.50 SEK 14.43

-15.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 SEK 78.9

$6.83 SEK 65.8

19.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 SEK 108

$10.94 SEK 105

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.92

$1.66 SEK 15.99

18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.57

$2.10 SEK 20.28

6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 32.23

$3.02 SEK 29.11

10.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 SEK 649

$60.1 SEK 579

12.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 SEK 52.1

$5.24 SEK 50.5

3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SEK 18.16

$1.66 SEK 16.00

13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 SEK 607

$46.83 SEK 451

34.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.34

$1.91 SEK 18.39

-0.52%

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

$32.7K SEK 315.0K

$32.2K SEK 310.7K

1.39%

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

$34.1K SEK 328.9K

$34.9K SEK 336.4K

-2.23%

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

$122 SEK 1,175

$69.4 SEK 668

75.85%

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

$28.99 SEK 279

$34.68 SEK 334

-16.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.22 SEK 397

$26.86 SEK 259

53.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 373

$50.9 SEK 490

-23.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 SEK 232

$39.23 SEK 378

-38.59%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 SEK 175

$16.00 SEK 154

13.56%

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

$179 SEK 1,724

$147 SEK 1,417

21.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,129 SEK 39.8K

$4,186 SEK 40.3K

-1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 SEK 774

$101 SEK 978

-20.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SEK 579

$38.55 SEK 371

55.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 999

$126 SEK 1,213

-17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,255

$137 SEK 1,318

-4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 SEK 9,454

$803 SEK 7,733

22.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 SEK 7,348

$543 SEK 5,233

40.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 SEK 15.6K

$1,183 SEK 11.4K

36.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 SEK 12.6K

$899 SEK 8,660

45.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,408 SEK 61.7K

$4,763 SEK 45.9K

34.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 SEK 35.5K

$3,146 SEK 30.3K

17.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,972 SEK 28.6K

$2,703 SEK 26.1K

9.95%

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 Umea: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Lund and $803 in Umea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 10% 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 $83.0 in Umea. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $365, 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 Umea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umea wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Lund. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Umea the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 10% 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 $803 in Umea. 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 $1,695 in Umea – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umea runs roughly 12% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,695 in Umea versus $1,904 in Lund, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Umea but tight or insufficient in Lund. The gap between the two cities makes Umea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Umea delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,695 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Umea hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lund and Umea 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 Umea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.