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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Skien vs $2,505 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,202 per month in Skien vs $3,800 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Skien vs $5,096 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 70%, Stockholm by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.96 NOK 269

$16.12 SEK 150

79.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 935

$112 SEK 1,045

-10.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 NOK 123

$11.58 SEK 108

14.51%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 45.35

$5.08 SEK 47.40

-3.94%

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

$2.47 NOK 22.94

$3.30 SEK 30.79

-25.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NOK 20.38

$2.50 SEK 23.35

-12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 NOK 84.0

$8.67 SEK 80.9

4.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$8.30 SEK 77.5

16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 NOK 18.73

$1.72 SEK 16.03

17.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 30.67

$3.46 SEK 32.29

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.30

$3.99 SEK 37.28

-21.05%

Eggs

$4.20 NOK 39.01

$4.72 SEK 44.00

-11.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 NOK 106

$13.03 SEK 122

-12.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 NOK 132

$12.91 SEK 120

10.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 236

$19.56 SEK 183

30.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 34.89

$3.62 SEK 33.73

3.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 NOK 21.55

$2.83 SEK 26.37

-18.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.63

$3.39 SEK 31.62

-2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.36

$4.60 SEK 42.88

-12.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.26

$1.90 SEK 17.70

20.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.07

$1.88 SEK 17.54

14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$2.60 SEK 24.27

13.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.55

$1.61 SEK 14.98

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.86 NOK 175

$7.82 SEK 73.0

141.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 NOK 147

$12.85 SEK 120

23.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.97

$2.16 SEK 20.15

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NOK 36.67

$2.24 SEK 20.95

76.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NOK 25.02

$4.57 SEK 42.60

-41.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 NOK 412

$110 SEK 1,028

-59.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$36.08 NOK 335

$6.27 SEK 58.5

475.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 13.57

$1.57 SEK 14.67

-7.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.7 NOK 926

$62.5 SEK 583

59.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.41

$1.82 SEK 16.98

14.84%

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

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

-21.97%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

0.98%

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

$96.6 NOK 897

$229 SEK 2,133

-57.75%

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

$37.34 NOK 347

$28.82 SEK 269

29.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 NOK 358

$41.69 SEK 389

-7.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.00 NOK 353

$46.58 SEK 435

-18.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.76 NOK 323

$38.46 SEK 359

-9.62%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NOK 134

$17.65 SEK 165

-18.47%

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

$312 NOK 2,900

$165 SEK 1,541

88.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

51.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.85 NOK 380

$97.4 SEK 909

-58.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 NOK 327

$49.44 SEK 461

-28.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 NOK 862

$117 SEK 1,090

-20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NOK 1,421

$204 SEK 1,907

-25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 NOK 8,931

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

-39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 NOK 9,291

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

-9.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

-60.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 NOK 8,381

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

-50.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

-70.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

-51.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

12.97%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Skien versus $1,589 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 13% 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 $101 in Skien versus $112 in Stockholm. Groceries tell a different story – $432 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 $3,422 per month in Skien and $3,758 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 $101 in Skien and $112 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 $2,282 in Skien and $2,505 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 $2,282, than in Stockholm at $2,505. 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.