Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Midland, TX and Karlstad

For one person, living is cheaper in Karlstad: $1,727 a month against $2,065 in Midland, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Midland, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Midland, TX, United States
Karlstad, Sweden
Midland, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,065
/mo nomad
Karlstad
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,727
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Midland, TX and in Karlstad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Midland, TX and in Karlstad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Midland, TX vs $1,727 in Karlstad, rent included.

  • Midland, TX $2,065
  • Karlstad $1,727

A couple spends around $2,941 per month in Midland, TX vs $2,665 in Karlstad, rent included.

  • Midland, TX $2,941
  • Karlstad $2,665

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Midland, TX vs $3,603 in Karlstad, rent included.

  • Midland, TX $3,818
  • Karlstad $3,603

Midland, TX costs about 20% more than Karlstad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Midland, TX and Karlstad sit above the global median – Midland, TX by 52%, Karlstad by 27%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.09 $16.09
$15.14 SEK 149
6.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.6 $54.6
$80.5 SEK 790
-32.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.03 $10.03
$10.07 SEK 98.9
-0.40%
Cappuccino
$5.16 $5.16
$4.86 SEK 47.68
6.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 $4.65
$2.45 SEK 24.01
89.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$2.16 SEK 21.25
93.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.89 $9.89
$8.08 SEK 79.3
22.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.14 $12.14
$6.60 SEK 64.7
83.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.77 $0.77
$1.45 SEK 14.22
-46.90%
White Bread (500g)
$3.39 $3.39
$2.83 SEK 27.80
19.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.49 $4.49
$3.68 SEK 36.14
22.01%
Eggs
$2.98 $2.98
$4.37 SEK 42.85
-31.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.84 $10.84
$10.17 SEK 99.8
6.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$13.96 SEK 137
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$17.73 SEK 174
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.95 SEK 28.91
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 $1.12
$2.68 SEK 26.35
-58.21%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$3.03 SEK 29.71
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$5.40 SEK 53.0
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.92 SEK 18.80
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.72 SEK 16.84
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.72 $1.72
$2.64 SEK 25.87
-34.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.30 SEK 12.74
56.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.17 $11.17
$6.96 SEK 68.3
60.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.77 $14.77
$10.17 SEK 99.8
45.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.42 SEK 23.79
-26.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.04 SEK 19.98
-
🚌 Getting Around
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.26 $1.26
$3.13 SEK 30.70
-59.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.28 $37.28
$80.4 SEK 789
-53.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.46 SEK 53.6
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.29 SEK 12.67
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$60.4 SEK 592
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.72 SEK 16.90
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$32.6K SEK 320.4K
-17.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$33.8K SEK 331.2K
-22.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$99.4 SEK 975
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.9 $53.9
$15.73 SEK 154
242.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.2 $71.2
$43.76 SEK 429
62.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.36 $13.36
$45.27 SEK 444
-70.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.66 SEK 163
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.37 $12.37
$14.08 SEK 138
-12.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$126 SEK 1,236
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.1 $79.1
$106 SEK 1,037
-25.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.36 $30.36
$39.85 SEK 391
-23.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$148 $148
$75.9 SEK 744
95.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$149 $149
$141 SEK 1,384
5.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,713 $1,713
$868 SEK 8,518
97.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,166 $1,166
$575 SEK 5,638
103.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,593 $2,593
$1,184 SEK 11.6K
119.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,784 $1,784
$867 SEK 8,504
105.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,337 $2,337
$3,849 SEK 37.8K
-39.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,863 $1,863
$2,779 SEK 27.3K
-32.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Midland, TX
Karlstad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,445 $5,445
$3,203 SEK 31.4K
70.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.92
4.09
69.19%

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

Last update for Midland, TX: October 25, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Midland, TX
–
Karlstad
$575
Groceries & Markets
Midland, TX
–
Karlstad
$370
Eating Out
Midland, TX
–
Karlstad
$282
Clothing & Footwear
Midland, TX
–
Karlstad
$163
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Midland, TX
–
Karlstad
$159
Getting Around
Midland, TX
–
Karlstad
$105
Sport & Entertainment
Midland, TX
–
Karlstad
$73

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,713 in Midland, TX versus $868 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 70% higher in Midland, TX. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Midland, TX versus $81 in Karlstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $370 – making Midland, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Midland, TX
🇸🇪 Karlstad
🕒 Local time
10:41 10:41 AM
17:41 5:41 PM
7 h ahead of Midland, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
132,524
62,797
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Midland, TX Karlstad 8,270 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Midland, TX
  • Karlstad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Midland, TX vs Karlstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karlstad cheaper than Midland, TX?
Yes – Midland, TX is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,098 per month in Midland, TX and $2,590 in Karlstad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlstad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $868 there versus $1,713 in Midland, TX.
What are total monthly expenses in Midland, TX and in Karlstad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,065 in Midland, TX and $1,727 in Karlstad. That makes Karlstad about 16% cheaper.
Is eating out cheaper in Midland, TX or in Karlstad?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Midland, TX and $81 in Karlstad. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough for either Midland, TX or Karlstad?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,065 in Midland, TX and $1,727 in Karlstad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Midland, TX or in Karlstad?
It depends on your priorities. Karlstad has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,727 in Karlstad to $2,065 in Midland, TX. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Karlstad. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Midland, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Midland, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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