Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Buffalo, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Buffalo, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,580 in Stockholm versus $2,687 in Buffalo, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,866 in Stockholm versus $3,852 in Buffalo, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,151 in Stockholm versus $5,017 in Buffalo, NY.

Living in Stockholm costs roughly 4% less than in Buffalo, NY, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stockholm 93% above, Buffalo, NY 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.62 SEK 144

$29.89 $29.89

-47.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,014

$85.0 $85.0

29.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 SEK 107

$12.20 $12.20

-4.34%

Cappuccino

$5.22 SEK 47.98

$5.52 $5.52

-5.43%

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

$3.31 SEK 30.44

$2.65 $2.65

24.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 SEK 23.39

$2.09 $2.09

21.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.60 SEK 79.2

$5.48 $5.48

56.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.42 SEK 77.4

$6.82 $6.82

23.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 15.84

$0.90 $0.90

91.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 31.79

$3.80 $3.80

-8.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 SEK 36.39

$4.90 $4.90

-19.39%

Eggs

$4.54 SEK 41.80

$3.90 $3.90

16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.85 SEK 118

$13.37 $13.37

-3.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.37 SEK 123

$8.13 $8.13

64.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.44 SEK 179

$12.13 $12.13

60.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SEK 31.89

$4.07 $4.07

-14.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 26.61

$1.56 $1.56

85.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 SEK 30.84

$5.40 $5.40

-37.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 SEK 41.19

$4.94 $4.94

-9.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SEK 17.77

$2.48 $2.48

-22.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.25

$3.53 $3.53

-47.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 23.15

$2.47 $2.47

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.30

$2.49 $2.49

-37.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.07 SEK 74.3

$14.17 $14.17

-43.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 SEK 131

$18.25 $18.25

-22.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 20.68

$1.68 $1.68

33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 SEK 21.57

$7.54 $7.54

-68.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 SEK 40.82

$2.02 $2.02

119.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,009

$90.2 $90.2

21.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 SEK 58.2

$5.44 $5.44

16.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.32

$2.18 $2.18

-23.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 581

$45.50 $45.50

38.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.12

$0.97 $0.97

91.75%

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

$32.6K SEK 299.8K

$33.4K $33.4K

-2.34%

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

$35.2K SEK 323.6K

$23.7K $23.7K

48.16%

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

$231 SEK 2,124

$255 $255

-9.47%

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

$29.34 SEK 270

$46.37 $46.37

-36.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.99 SEK 396

$60.1 $60.1

-28.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.13 SEK 434

$33.23 $33.23

41.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.17 SEK 342

$55.9 $55.9

-33.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 SEK 164

$14.12 $14.12

26.49%

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

$165 SEK 1,520

$896 $896

-81.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,422 SEK 59.1K

$28.2K $28.2K

-77.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.9 SEK 882

$45.93 $45.93

108.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.30 SEK 444

$46.20 $46.20

4.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,106

$104 $104

15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$207 SEK 1,907

$116 $116

78.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 SEK 14.4K

$1,567 $1,567

-0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 SEK 10.1K

$1,195 $1,195

-8.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,821 SEK 26.0K

$2,105 $2,105

34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 SEK 16.5K

$1,713 $1,713

4.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K SEK 111.6K

$3,057 $3,057

296.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,566 SEK 60.4K

$1,746 $1,746

275.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,927 SEK 36.1K

$3,495 $3,495

12.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

6.53

-36.29%

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

Last update for Stockholm: April 20, 2026

Last update for Buffalo, NY: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,562 in Stockholm and $1,567 in Buffalo, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stockholm pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $110 in Stockholm vs $85 in Buffalo, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $390 per month, with Buffalo, NY 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 Buffalo, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Buffalo, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Stockholm the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Stockholm pays 12% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,562 in Stockholm versus $1,567 in Buffalo, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $165 in Stockholm versus $896 in Buffalo, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Buffalo, NY pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Stockholm is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Stockholm delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,580 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Stockholm hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Stockholm and Buffalo, NY 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 Stockholm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Buffalo, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.