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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,357 per month in Skien vs $2,732 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,341 per month in Skien vs $4,130 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,326 per month in Skien vs $5,527 in Stockholm, rent included.

Skien is about 14% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skien and Stockholm sit above the global median – Skien by 72%, Stockholm by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.53 NOK 200

$18.42 SEK 176

16.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 989

$103 SEK 979

3.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 147

$11.43 SEK 109

38.58%

Cappuccino

$5.47 NOK 50.8

$5.35 SEK 51.0

2.24%

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

$4.23 NOK 39.25

$3.89 SEK 37.06

8.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NOK 29.70

$3.20 SEK 30.54

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 NOK 112

$8.46 SEK 80.6

41.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.63 NOK 117

$9.19 SEK 87.6

37.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.24

$1.74 SEK 16.63

18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 NOK 36.69

$4.17 SEK 39.74

-5.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 NOK 43.37

$4.09 SEK 38.99

14.18%

Eggs

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$5.19 SEK 49.46

11.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 NOK 126

$13.23 SEK 126

2.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$13.55 SEK 129

14.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 NOK 213

$22.30 SEK 213

2.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 NOK 31.61

$3.55 SEK 33.84

-4.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.60

$2.97 SEK 28.34

-7.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.11

$3.17 SEK 30.26

9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 NOK 56.2

$4.70 SEK 44.77

28.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.06

$1.87 SEK 17.79

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.75

$1.80 SEK 17.19

66.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 NOK 28.42

$2.49 SEK 23.71

22.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.78

$2.49 SEK 23.71

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.12 NOK 177

$9.10 SEK 86.8

110.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 NOK 151

$12.67 SEK 121

28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.67

$2.14 SEK 20.45

64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.20

$2.56 SEK 24.39

73.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$4.61 SEK 43.99

-24.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.24 NOK 448

$113 SEK 1,075

-57.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 NOK 103

$6.20 SEK 59.1

79.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NOK 17.75

$1.53 SEK 14.59

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 674

$59.2 SEK 564

22.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.89

$1.82 SEK 17.38

23.63%

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

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

$34.5K SEK 328.8K

40.79%

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

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

$35.1K SEK 334.9K

25.05%

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

$97.8 NOK 908

$281 SEK 2,681

-65.23%

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

$33.45 NOK 311

$22.69 SEK 216

47.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 NOK 543

$40.70 SEK 388

43.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 NOK 381

$48.06 SEK 458

-14.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 395

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 NOK 142

$19.78 SEK 189

-22.65%

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

$244 NOK 2,266

$172 SEK 1,642

41.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

$16.8K SEK 160.6K

-4.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NOK 585

$120 SEK 1,145

-47.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 565

$57.8 SEK 551

5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NOK 842

$142 SEK 1,351

-35.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,495

$203 SEK 1,933

-20.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

$1,787 SEK 17.0K

-39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NOK 9,168

$1,096 SEK 10.4K

-9.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NOK 9,751

$3,323 SEK 31.7K

-68.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,017

$1,859 SEK 17.7K

-47.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

$11.7K SEK 111.9K

-69.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

$6,611 SEK 63.0K

-51.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

$3,662 SEK 34.9K

17.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

3.31

32.02%

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

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,080 in Skien 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 17% 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 $106 in Skien versus $103 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $481 vs $433 – making Stockholm 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

Skien vs Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,536 per month in Skien 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 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 $106 in Skien and $103 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 $2,357 in Skien and $2,732 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 $2,357, than in Stockholm at $2,732. 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.