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: $2,505 in Stockholm versus $2,645 in Buffalo, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Stockholm versus $3,834 in Buffalo, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,096 in Stockholm versus $5,022 in Buffalo, NY.

Living in Stockholm costs roughly 5% less than in Buffalo, NY, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stockholm 87% above, Buffalo, NY 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 153

$30.24 $30.24

-46.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,060

$86.6 $86.6

29.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 SEK 110

$11.77 $11.77

-1.61%

Cappuccino

$5.08 SEK 48.07

$5.50 $5.50

-7.64%

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

$3.30 SEK 31.22

$2.76 $2.76

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.68

$2.09 $2.09

19.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 SEK 82.0

$5.52 $5.52

57.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 78.6

$7.17 $7.17

15.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.25

$0.92 $0.92

86.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 32.74

$3.88 $3.88

-10.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.80

$4.75 $4.75

-16.00%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 44.62

$3.98 $3.98

18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 SEK 123

$13.32 $13.32

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 122

$8.45 $8.45

52.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 SEK 185

$11.85 $11.85

65.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 34.21

$3.88 $3.88

-6.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.74

$1.63 $1.63

73.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.06

$5.45 $5.45

-37.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 43.48

$4.92 $4.92

-6.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 SEK 17.95

$2.53 $2.53

-24.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.78

$3.48 $3.48

-45.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.61

$2.46 $2.46

5.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.19

$2.48 $2.48

-35.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 74.0

$14.07 $14.07

-44.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 122

$18.20 $18.20

-29.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.44

$1.70 $1.70

27.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.24

$7.46 $7.46

-69.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 SEK 43.20

$2.04 $2.04

124.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,042

$90.1 $90.1

22.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 SEK 59.4

$5.38 $5.38

16.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.88

$2.21 $2.21

-28.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 591

$44.37 $44.37

40.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.21

$0.89 $0.89

104.49%

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

$33.0K SEK 311.9K

$32.7K $32.7K

0.81%

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

$35.4K SEK 335.1K

$24.1K $24.1K

46.74%

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

$229 SEK 2,163

$249 $249

-8.03%

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

$28.82 SEK 273

$46.60 $46.60

-38.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.69 SEK 394

$61.5 $61.5

-32.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 SEK 441

$33.26 $33.26

40.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 364

$56.8 $56.8

-32.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 SEK 167

$14.22 $14.22

24.12%

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

$165 SEK 1,563

$906 $906

-81.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 SEK 63.0K

$29.0K $29.0K

-77.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 SEK 922

$45.59 $45.59

113.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 SEK 468

$45.32 $45.32

9.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,105

$104 $104

12.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,934

$115 $115

78.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 SEK 15.0K

$1,568 $1,568

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 SEK 10.5K

$1,212 $1,212

-8.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 SEK 26.2K

$2,086 $2,086

32.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 SEK 17.1K

$1,724 $1,724

4.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K SEK 115.9K

$3,020 $3,020

305.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,689 SEK 63.3K

$1,730 $1,730

286.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 SEK 35.8K

$3,594 $3,594

5.16%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Buffalo, NY: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Stockholm and $1,568 in Buffalo, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stockholm pays 5% 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 $87.0 in Buffalo, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 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 6% 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 5% 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: $1,589 in Stockholm versus $1,568 in Buffalo, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $165 in Stockholm versus $906 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 $2,505 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 6% less than in Buffalo, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.