Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, OR and Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, OR and Stockholm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,390 per month in Portland, OR vs $2,732 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,908 per month in Portland, OR vs $4,130 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,426 per month in Portland, OR vs $5,527 in Stockholm, rent included.

Portland, OR costs about 24% more than Stockholm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Portland, OR and Stockholm sit above the global median – Portland, OR by 147%, Stockholm by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.63 $24.63

$18.42 SEK 176

33.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 $87.1

$103 SEK 983

-15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.17 $13.17

$11.43 SEK 109

15.22%

Cappuccino

$6.04 $6.04

$5.35 SEK 51.2

12.90%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$3.89 SEK 37.22

-33.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.20 SEK 30.67

-38.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.46 SEK 81.0

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$9.19 SEK 88.0

-15.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.74 SEK 16.70

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.17 SEK 39.90

22.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.09 SEK 39.16

13.45%

Eggs

$5.30 $5.30

$5.19 SEK 49.67

2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.17 $18.17

$13.23 SEK 127

37.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.51 $16.51

$13.55 SEK 130

21.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.74 $25.74

$22.30 SEK 214

15.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$3.55 SEK 33.99

75.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.97 SEK 28.46

-31.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.17 SEK 30.39

76.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.57 $9.57

$4.70 SEK 44.96

103.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.87 SEK 17.87

57.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.80 SEK 17.27

28.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.49 SEK 23.81

25.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.49 SEK 23.81

0.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 $11.19

$9.10 SEK 87.2

22.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.67 SEK 121

20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.14 SEK 20.53

64.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.56 SEK 24.50

92.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.61 SEK 44.18

-40.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$113 SEK 1,079

-10.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$6.20 SEK 59.4

-18.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.53 SEK 14.65

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.80 $23.80

$59.2 SEK 567

-59.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.82 SEK 17.45

-32.97%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$34.5K SEK 330.2K

-1.45%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.1K SEK 336.4K

-28.03%

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

$307 $307

$281 SEK 2,693

9.17%

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

$61.4 $61.4

$22.69 SEK 217

170.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$40.70 SEK 390

71.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 $55.6

$48.06 SEK 460

15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.79 $30.79

$41.41 SEK 396

-25.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$19.78 SEK 189

-29.47%

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

$1,698 $1,698

$172 SEK 1,649

885.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$16.8K SEK 161.3K

48.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$120 SEK 1,150

-46.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.11 $42.11

$57.8 SEK 553

-27.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$142 SEK 1,357

-22.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$203 SEK 1,941

-37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 $2,087

$1,787 SEK 17.1K

16.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$1,096 SEK 10.5K

45.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,507 $3,507

$3,323 SEK 31.8K

5.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,724 $2,724

$1,859 SEK 17.8K

46.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,913 $3,913

$11.7K SEK 112.3K

-66.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,402 $3,402

$6,611 SEK 63.3K

-48.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,535 $4,535

$3,662 SEK 35.1K

23.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

3.31

87.01%

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

Last update for Portland, OR: August 31, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,087 in Portland, OR versus $1,787 in Stockholm. 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 24% higher in Portland, OR, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Portland, OR versus $103 in Stockholm. Groceries tell a different story – $544 in Portland, OR vs $433 in Stockholm – so Stockholm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Portland, OR vs Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,390 in Portland, OR, $2,732 in Stockholm – roughly 24% apart. Portland, OR costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,085 per month in Portland, OR and $4,098 in Stockholm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stockholm, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,390 in Portland, OR and $2,732 in Stockholm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Stockholm. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,390 in Portland, OR and $2,732 in Stockholm. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Stockholm has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,732 in Stockholm to $3,390 in Portland, OR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Stockholm. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Portland, OR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.