Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Stockholm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Skien vs $2,582 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,223 per month in Skien vs $3,840 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,098 per month in Skien vs $5,098 in Stockholm, rent included.

Skien is about 9% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skien and Stockholm sit above the global median – Skien by 76%, Stockholm by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.93 NOK 279

$16.09 SEK 155

79.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 NOK 960

$110 SEK 1,062

-9.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$11.68 SEK 113

12.59%

Cappuccino

$4.94 NOK 47.62

$5.20 SEK 50.1

-5.00%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$3.28 SEK 31.64

-23.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NOK 21.47

$2.47 SEK 23.78

-9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 NOK 88.8

$8.51 SEK 82.0

8.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 NOK 95.1

$8.31 SEK 80.1

18.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 NOK 18.66

$1.80 SEK 17.33

7.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 NOK 32.87

$3.41 SEK 32.84

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 32.08

$4.07 SEK 39.19

-18.18%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 40.61

$4.70 SEK 45.33

-10.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 NOK 112

$12.77 SEK 123

-9.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 NOK 136

$13.23 SEK 127

6.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 245

$19.40 SEK 187

31.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.11

$3.60 SEK 34.66

4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.73

$2.90 SEK 27.93

-22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.45

$3.38 SEK 32.54

-3.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 38.72

$4.59 SEK 44.21

-12.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 21.41

$1.96 SEK 18.92

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 20.39

$1.89 SEK 18.17

12.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 NOK 28.87

$2.52 SEK 24.24

19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 18.24

$1.61 SEK 15.55

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.24 NOK 185

$8.06 SEK 77.7

138.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 NOK 147

$12.53 SEK 121

22.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 31.72

$2.19 SEK 21.08

50.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NOK 37.16

$2.36 SEK 22.76

63.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NOK 25.73

$4.55 SEK 43.89

-41.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.34 NOK 417

$112 SEK 1,080

-61.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NOK 344

$6.40 SEK 61.7

457.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.92

$1.66 SEK 15.95

-12.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 966

$63.3 SEK 610

58.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.98

$1.86 SEK 17.92

17.20%

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

$25.6K NOK 246.8K

$33.0K SEK 318.3K

-22.44%

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

$35.6K NOK 343.3K

$34.5K SEK 332.9K

3.18%

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

$98.7 NOK 950

$227 SEK 2,189

-56.58%

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

$38.06 NOK 367

$29.59 SEK 285

28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 NOK 369

$42.03 SEK 405

-8.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 NOK 360

$46.01 SEK 443

-18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 344

$38.09 SEK 367

-6.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 NOK 134

$17.78 SEK 171

-21.54%

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

$307 NOK 2,954

$164 SEK 1,582

86.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

$6,573 SEK 63.3K

55.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.71 NOK 382

$97.6 SEK 941

-59.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 NOK 341

$49.76 SEK 480

-28.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 NOK 868

$120 SEK 1,159

-25.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,463

$202 SEK 1,945

-24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,355

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

-37.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,397

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

-10.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

$2,754 SEK 26.5K

-59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 NOK 8,807

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

-49.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,335 NOK 32.1K

$11.8K SEK 113.3K

-71.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

-53.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

$3,643 SEK 35.1K

10.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.16

-8.65%

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

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Skien versus $1,566 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 11% higher in Skien, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Skien versus $110 in Stockholm. Groceries tell a different story – $431 in Skien vs $401 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

Skien vs Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,520 per month in Skien and $3,873 in Stockholm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Skien and $110 in Stockholm. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,347 in Skien and $2,582 in Stockholm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Skien, where all-in costs run around $2,347, than in Stockholm at $2,582. In Skien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skien – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Skien. 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.