Cost of Living Comparison Between Sala and Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison Between Sala and Stockholm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,496 per month in Sala vs $2,547 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Sala vs $3,842 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,973 per month in Sala vs $5,138 in Stockholm, rent included.

Sala is about 41% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sala and Stockholm sit above the global median – Sala by 12%, Stockholm by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.80 SEK 119

$16.13 SEK 150

-20.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 SEK 589

$112 SEK 1,035

-43.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 SEK 94.1

$11.68 SEK 108

-13.10%

Cappuccino

$3.18 SEK 29.46

$4.99 SEK 46.24

-36.27%

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

$1.83 SEK 17.00

$3.19 SEK 29.61

-42.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 22.92

$2.49 SEK 23.08

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 67.6

$8.28 SEK 76.8

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 SEK 70.1

$8.32 SEK 77.1

-9.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 17.01

$1.77 SEK 16.41

3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 SEK 24.57

$3.40 SEK 31.56

-22.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 SEK 34.12

$3.89 SEK 36.05

-5.40%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 37.73

$4.58 SEK 42.50

-11.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 109

$12.88 SEK 119

-8.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 SEK 110

$13.17 SEK 122

-9.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 SEK 148

$19.36 SEK 179

-17.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 28.01

$3.57 SEK 33.06

-15.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.03

$2.83 SEK 26.27

-4.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.25

$3.45 SEK 31.97

-21.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 SEK 47.63

$4.63 SEK 42.91

11.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.08

$1.97 SEK 18.29

-22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 SEK 11.10

$1.88 SEK 17.41

-36.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 SEK 25.24

$2.55 SEK 23.60

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 9.88

$1.62 SEK 15.04

-33.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 70.0

$8.05 SEK 74.7

-6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 SEK 60.0

$14.04 SEK 130

-53.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 22.95

$2.14 SEK 19.88

15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.46

$2.26 SEK 20.98

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 SEK 29.81

$4.67 SEK 43.32

-31.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.91 SEK 203

$114 SEK 1,054

-80.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 SEK 58.0

$6.32 SEK 58.6

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.39

$1.58 SEK 14.69

5.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.07 SEK 195

$61.9 SEK 574

-65.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.34

$1.79 SEK 16.62

10.61%

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

$42.7K SEK 395.4K

$33.0K SEK 305.7K

29.33%

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

$34.4K SEK 318.6K

$34.7K SEK 321.4K

-0.87%

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

$88.1 SEK 816

$230 SEK 2,134

-61.74%

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

$21.33 SEK 198

$28.63 SEK 265

-25.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.05 SEK 343

$42.89 SEK 398

-13.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 SEK 452

$46.61 SEK 432

4.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.11 SEK 196

$37.08 SEK 344

-43.07%

Cinema Ticket

$19.10 SEK 177

$17.90 SEK 166

6.70%

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

$147 SEK 1,362

$161 SEK 1,491

-8.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,286 SEK 11.9K

$6,546 SEK 60.7K

-80.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.81 SEK 443

$95.8 SEK 888

-50.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.57 SEK 339

$48.32 SEK 448

-24.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 SEK 516

$116 SEK 1,080

-52.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 SEK 545

$208 SEK 1,931

-71.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 SEK 7,000

$1,576 SEK 14.6K

-52.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 SEK 4,949

$1,114 SEK 10.3K

-52.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 SEK 9,125

$2,811 SEK 26.1K

-64.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 SEK 6,676

$1,774 SEK 16.4K

-59.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,275 SEK 39.6K

$12.2K SEK 113.2K

-64.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,074 SEK 28.5K

$6,513 SEK 60.4K

-52.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,601 SEK 24.1K

$3,839 SEK 35.6K

-32.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.16

8.89%

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

Last update for Sala: April 27, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Sala versus $1,576 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 48% higher in Stockholm, 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 $63 in Sala versus $112 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $403 – making Sala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sala vs Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 70% more than Sala, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,244 per month in Sala and $3,820 in Stockholm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Sala and $161 in Stockholm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Stockholm, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sala, where all-in costs run around $1,496, than in Stockholm at $2,547. In Sala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sala costs $1,496 versus $2,547 in Stockholm. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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