Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Bålsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Bålsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,631 in Stockholm versus $1,619 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,058 in Stockholm versus $2,516 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,486 in Stockholm versus $3,413 in Bålsta.

Living in Stockholm is roughly 63% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stockholm 92% above, Bålsta 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.81 SEK 185

$14.12 SEK 139

33.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 SEK 1,027

$67.5 SEK 665

54.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 SEK 120

$9.05 SEK 89.2

34.59%

Cappuccino

$5.23 SEK 51.5

$4.13 SEK 40.75

26.63%

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

$3.69 SEK 36.36

$2.76 SEK 27.22

33.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 SEK 29.80

$2.24 SEK 22.07

34.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 SEK 82.1

$7.50 SEK 73.9

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.34 SEK 92.0

$7.43 SEK 73.2

25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 16.72

$1.58 SEK 15.61

7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 SEK 40.91

$2.02 SEK 19.95

105.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 SEK 38.50

$3.59 SEK 35.37

8.91%

Eggs

$5.29 SEK 52.2

$3.73 SEK 36.79

41.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 SEK 128

$11.52 SEK 114

12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 SEK 132

$12.47 SEK 123

7.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.60 SEK 223

$11.53 SEK 114

96.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 35.89

$2.65 SEK 26.16

37.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.94

$2.77 SEK 27.34

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 32.41

$2.13 SEK 21.01

54.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 SEK 44.32

$2.90 SEK 28.55

55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.13

$1.47 SEK 14.47

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 17.46

$1.29 SEK 12.66

37.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 SEK 24.27

$1.58 SEK 15.55

55.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 SEK 23.17

$1.01 SEK 9.94

132.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 SEK 87.4

$7.26 SEK 71.6

22.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 SEK 121

$10.21 SEK 101

19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 SEK 20.61

$1.58 SEK 15.54

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 25.47

$2.14 SEK 21.10

20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 SEK 42.77

$3.42 SEK 33.73

26.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 SEK 1,058

$81.7 SEK 805

31.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 SEK 58.7

$6.31 SEK 62.2

-5.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 SEK 15.25

$1.54 SEK 15.21

0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.2 SEK 563

$79.6 SEK 784

-28.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 SEK 17.64

$1.81 SEK 17.88

-1.10%

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

$34.4K SEK 339.1K

$34.8K SEK 343.0K

-1.13%

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

$35.3K SEK 347.8K

$33.9K SEK 333.7K

4.22%

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

$264 SEK 2,602

$51.4 SEK 506

414.09%

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

$21.83 SEK 215

$20.63 SEK 203

5.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.49 SEK 409

$40.94 SEK 403

1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.66 SEK 470

$39.69 SEK 391

20.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.48 SEK 389

$26.10 SEK 257

51.26%

Cinema Ticket

$19.15 SEK 189

$13.79 SEK 136

38.87%

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

$166 SEK 1,637

$126 SEK 1,245

31.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K SEK 167.9K

$5,266 SEK 51.9K

223.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 SEK 1,126

$73.8 SEK 727

54.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SEK 595

$10.48 SEK 103

476.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 SEK 1,363

$83.7 SEK 825

65.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 SEK 1,864

$115 SEK 1,131

64.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 SEK 17.4K

$831 SEK 8,191

113.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SEK 10.6K

$605 SEK 5,964

77.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,181 SEK 31.3K

$1,417 SEK 14.0K

124.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 SEK 18.5K

$1,041 SEK 10.3K

80.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 116.3K

$4,263 SEK 42.0K

176.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,814 SEK 67.2K

$2,890 SEK 28.5K

135.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,595 SEK 35.4K

$3,987 SEK 39.3K

-9.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

12.33%

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

Last update for Stockholm: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,771 in Stockholm and $831 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $104 in Stockholm vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $308 per month, with Bålsta cheaper across the board.

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

Stockholm vs Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Stockholm. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Bålsta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,771 in Stockholm versus $831 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,631 per month in Stockholm versus $1,619 in Bålsta – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 31% less than in Stockholm. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,619 in Bålsta versus $2,631 in Stockholm, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Stockholm. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Stockholm and Bålsta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Stockholm. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.