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: $1,949 in Lund versus $1,694 in Umea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,033 in Lund versus $2,666 in Umea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,117 in Lund versus $3,638 in Umea.

Living in Lund is roughly 15% more expensive than Umea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lund 45% above, Umea 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 SEK 116

$16.05 SEK 150

-22.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 SEK 799

$85.4 SEK 796

0.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 SEK 112

$11.41 SEK 106

5.00%

Cappuccino

$5.01 SEK 46.78

$4.29 SEK 40.00

16.78%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.39

$3.39 SEK 31.65

-16.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.33

$2.51 SEK 23.45

-17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 SEK 77.2

$9.11 SEK 85.0

-9.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 SEK 70.3

$7.55 SEK 70.4

-0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.11

$1.69 SEK 15.80

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 SEK 20.80

$3.58 SEK 33.37

-37.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.24

$4.32 SEK 40.31

-32.41%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.20

$4.29 SEK 40.00

3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 SEK 120

$11.93 SEK 111

8.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 SEK 106

$11.05 SEK 103

3.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 SEK 162

$18.30 SEK 171

-5.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 29.89

$2.84 SEK 26.48

12.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 26.99

$2.39 SEK 22.30

20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.05

$2.84 SEK 26.47

2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 SEK 41.23

$4.44 SEK 41.41

-0.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 15.61

$1.68 SEK 15.65

-0.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.23

$1.82 SEK 16.96

-10.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.52

$2.62 SEK 24.40

0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 SEK 12.01

$1.48 SEK 13.78

-12.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 SEK 75.6

$6.70 SEK 62.5

20.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 SEK 111

$11.34 SEK 106

4.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 SEK 18.99

$1.66 SEK 15.46

22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.04

$2.22 SEK 20.76

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 31.92

$3.14 SEK 29.31

8.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.2 SEK 627

$59.1 SEK 552

13.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 SEK 50.4

$5.22 SEK 48.74

3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SEK 17.74

$1.60 SEK 14.97

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.6 SEK 584

$47.06 SEK 439

32.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.44

$1.95 SEK 18.18

1.54%

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

$32.8K SEK 306.3K

$32.7K SEK 305.4K

0.30%

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

$34.3K SEK 319.9K

$35.2K SEK 328.7K

-2.68%

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

$123 SEK 1,148

$67.8 SEK 632

81.47%

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

$28.49 SEK 266

$34.49 SEK 322

-17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.60 SEK 388

$27.30 SEK 255

52.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.20 SEK 366

$51.7 SEK 483

-24.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.29 SEK 227

$38.59 SEK 360

-37.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 SEK 167

$15.92 SEK 149

12.19%

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

$176 SEK 1,638

$149 SEK 1,388

18.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

$4,094 SEK 38.2K

3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.1 SEK 738

$99.1 SEK 925

-20.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 SEK 563

$38.23 SEK 357

57.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 971

$126 SEK 1,171

-17.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 SEK 1,187

$136 SEK 1,267

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 SEK 9,054

$793 SEK 7,395

22.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 SEK 7,060

$530 SEK 4,942

42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 SEK 15.3K

$1,192 SEK 11.1K

37.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 SEK 12.3K

$895 SEK 8,347

46.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,660 SEK 62.1K

$4,972 SEK 46.4K

33.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,858 SEK 36.0K

$3,309 SEK 30.9K

16.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,140 SEK 29.3K

$2,875 SEK 26.8K

9.20%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Umea: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Lund and $793 in Umea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 9% 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: $86.0 in Lund vs $85.0 in Umea. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $367, 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 15% 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.

Lund pays 9% more on average, 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: $970 in Lund versus $793 in Umea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,949 per month in Lund versus $1,694 in Umea – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umea runs roughly 14% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,694 in Umea versus $1,949 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 $1,694 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 15% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.