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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,491 per month in Sala vs $2,501 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,247 per month in Sala vs $3,835 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,003 per month in Sala vs $5,169 in Stockholm, rent included.

Sala is about 40% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sala and Stockholm sit above the global median – Sala by 11%, Stockholm by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 118

$15.55 SEK 146

-19.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 SEK 590

$113 SEK 1,056

-44.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 SEK 98.4

$11.73 SEK 110

-10.66%

Cappuccino

$3.20 SEK 29.99

$5.07 SEK 47.56

-36.88%

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

$1.81 SEK 17.00

$3.18 SEK 29.78

-43.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.50

$2.52 SEK 23.62

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 SEK 70.6

$8.59 SEK 80.6

-12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 SEK 71.0

$8.32 SEK 78.1

-9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.26

$1.80 SEK 16.88

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 SEK 25.26

$3.44 SEK 32.23

-21.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.07

$3.99 SEK 37.45

-6.27%

Eggs

$4.04 SEK 37.93

$4.69 SEK 43.96

-13.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 111

$12.65 SEK 119

-6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 SEK 109

$13.20 SEK 124

-11.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 SEK 149

$19.66 SEK 184

-19.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 29.59

$3.62 SEK 33.94

-12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.35

$2.87 SEK 26.95

-5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 26.43

$3.53 SEK 33.08

-20.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 SEK 47.26

$4.47 SEK 41.94

12.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.57

$1.99 SEK 18.67

-22.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 SEK 11.15

$1.81 SEK 16.96

-34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 SEK 25.46

$2.50 SEK 23.49

8.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.73

$1.55 SEK 14.51

-32.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SEK 70.7

$7.94 SEK 74.5

-5.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 SEK 60.2

$12.76 SEK 120

-49.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.45

$2.14 SEK 20.04

16.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.14

$2.35 SEK 22.09

-17.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 SEK 29.51

$4.52 SEK 42.36

-30.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 SEK 205

$113 SEK 1,063

-80.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 SEK 59.1

$6.35 SEK 59.6

-0.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.84

$1.64 SEK 15.39

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.87 SEK 196

$62.5 SEK 587

-66.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 SEK 18.78

$1.82 SEK 17.07

9.89%

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

$42.2K SEK 395.7K

$32.1K SEK 301.3K

31.32%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.0K

$34.8K SEK 326.4K

-1.63%

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

$88.8 SEK 833

$225 SEK 2,108

-60.50%

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

$20.84 SEK 196

$28.52 SEK 268

-26.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 SEK 349

$41.74 SEK 392

-10.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 SEK 450

$47.32 SEK 444

1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.95 SEK 197

$37.97 SEK 356

-44.82%

Cinema Ticket

$19.22 SEK 180

$17.82 SEK 167

7.86%

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

$146 SEK 1,373

$164 SEK 1,542

-10.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,254 SEK 11.8K

$6,429 SEK 60.3K

-80.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.54 SEK 437

$95.9 SEK 899

-51.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.23 SEK 349

$49.26 SEK 462

-24.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 SEK 514

$116 SEK 1,092

-52.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 SEK 538

$204 SEK 1,910

-71.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 SEK 7,256

$1,591 SEK 14.9K

-51.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 SEK 5,113

$1,115 SEK 10.5K

-51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 SEK 9,049

$2,737 SEK 25.7K

-64.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 SEK 6,811

$1,793 SEK 16.8K

-59.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 SEK 37.5K

$11.9K SEK 111.6K

-66.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 SEK 31.2K

$6,717 SEK 63.0K

-50.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,569 SEK 24.1K

$3,731 SEK 35.0K

-31.15%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $774 in Sala versus $1,591 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 45% 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 $63.0 in Sala versus $113 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $401 – 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 68% 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 $2,236 per month in Sala and $3,752 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 $146 per month in Sala and $164 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 $1,491, than in Stockholm at $2,501. 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 $1,491 versus $2,501 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.