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: $2,508 in Stockholm versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,818 in Stockholm versus $2,547 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,128 in Stockholm versus $3,468 in Bålsta.

Living in Stockholm is roughly 54% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stockholm 88% above, Bålsta 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 153

$12.98 SEK 124

22.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,070

$68.9 SEK 660

62.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 SEK 110

$9.65 SEK 92.4

19.07%

Cappuccino

$5.09 SEK 48.82

$4.10 SEK 39.31

24.15%

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

$3.27 SEK 31.32

$2.79 SEK 26.72

17.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 SEK 24.42

$2.50 SEK 23.96

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.61 SEK 82.5

$7.26 SEK 69.6

18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 SEK 78.4

$7.54 SEK 72.3

8.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.68

$1.61 SEK 15.39

8.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 SEK 32.81

$2.09 SEK 20.08

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 37.06

$3.59 SEK 34.45

7.80%

Eggs

$4.71 SEK 45.12

$3.74 SEK 35.85

25.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 124

$11.77 SEK 113

9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 SEK 127

$11.86 SEK 114

11.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 SEK 185

$11.72 SEK 112

64.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 33.70

$2.57 SEK 24.65

36.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.21

$2.66 SEK 25.46

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 SEK 32.65

$2.35 SEK 22.49

45.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 SEK 42.72

$2.87 SEK 27.49

55.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SEK 18.49

$1.55 SEK 14.83

24.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 18.03

$1.30 SEK 12.48

44.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 25.17

$1.61 SEK 15.38

63.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.87

$1.03 SEK 9.87

50.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.00 SEK 76.7

$7.47 SEK 71.6

7.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 SEK 122

$10.36 SEK 99.3

22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 21.58

$1.54 SEK 14.74

46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SEK 22.27

$1.92 SEK 18.35

20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.64 SEK 44.47

$3.36 SEK 32.24

38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 SEK 1,068

$72.6 SEK 695

53.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 SEK 58.4

$6.13 SEK 58.8

-0.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 15.98

$1.24 SEK 11.92

34.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.6 SEK 600

$80.6 SEK 772

-22.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.93

$2.01 SEK 19.28

-6.97%

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

$33.0K SEK 316.2K

$32.3K SEK 309.6K

2.11%

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

$34.8K SEK 333.2K

$33.6K SEK 322.5K

3.33%

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

$230 SEK 2,203

$51.8 SEK 496

344.07%

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

$29.14 SEK 279

$21.10 SEK 202

38.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.95 SEK 402

$36.03 SEK 345

16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.57 SEK 456

$40.88 SEK 392

16.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.44 SEK 359

$25.03 SEK 240

49.58%

Cinema Ticket

$17.95 SEK 172

$13.44 SEK 129

33.56%

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

$162 SEK 1,553

$127 SEK 1,221

27.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,490 SEK 62.2K

$735 SEK 7,040

783.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 SEK 943

$73.2 SEK 702

34.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.58 SEK 466

$10.66 SEK 102

355.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,146

$83.5 SEK 800

43.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 SEK 1,961

$116 SEK 1,114

76.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 SEK 15.3K

$856 SEK 8,205

86.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 SEK 10.7K

$654 SEK 6,267

71.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,739 SEK 26.3K

$1,387 SEK 13.3K

97.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 SEK 17.4K

$1,065 SEK 10.2K

70.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K SEK 115.6K

$3,989 SEK 38.2K

202.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,780 SEK 65.0K

$3,268 SEK 31.3K

107.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,706 SEK 35.5K

$4,094 SEK 39.2K

-9.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

38.67%

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

Last update for Stockholm: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Stockholm and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $112 in Stockholm vs $69.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $307 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 54% 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 10% 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: $1,595 in Stockholm versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,508 per month in Stockholm versus $1,626 in Bålsta – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 54% less than in Stockholm. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $2,508 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 $1,626 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 54% less than in Stockholm. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.