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: $2,701 in Stockholm versus $2,616 in Buffalo, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,056 in Stockholm versus $3,760 in Buffalo, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,411 in Stockholm versus $4,904 in Buffalo, NY.

Living in Stockholm is roughly 3% more expensive than in Buffalo, NY, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stockholm 96% above, Buffalo, NY 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.46 SEK 179

$22.65 $22.65

-18.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 SEK 1,018

$95.6 $95.6

9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 SEK 112

$12.01 $12.01

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$5.11 SEK 49.51

$6.02 $6.02

-15.12%

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

$3.77 SEK 36.56

$2.85 $2.85

32.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 SEK 31.81

$2.19 $2.19

49.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 SEK 79.3

$5.35 $5.35

52.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.31 SEK 90.2

$6.95 $6.95

33.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 17.23

$0.89 $0.89

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.02 SEK 38.96

$3.98 $3.98

1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 39.96

$5.74 $5.74

-28.22%

Eggs

$5.43 SEK 52.7

$4.65 $4.65

16.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 SEK 131

$12.99 $12.99

3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 SEK 131

$10.08 $10.08

34.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 SEK 214

$15.58 $15.58

42.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 35.83

$4.93 $4.93

-24.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.40

$1.55 $1.55

82.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 31.41

$4.57 $4.57

-29.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 46.47

$5.13 $5.13

-6.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.16

$2.68 $2.68

-30.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 18.04

$3.08 $3.08

-39.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.87

$2.41 $2.41

6.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.30

$2.34 $2.34

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.12 SEK 88.4

$14.36 $14.36

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 SEK 122

$18.26 $18.26

-31.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.84

$2.03 $2.03

5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 24.99

$3.97 $3.97

-35.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 SEK 44.52

$2.02 $2.02

127.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 SEK 1,076

$74.9 $74.9

48.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 SEK 60.2

$5.31 $5.31

16.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 SEK 14.98

$2.22 $2.22

-30.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.6 SEK 568

$45.88 $45.88

27.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.41

$1.08 $1.08

75.93%

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

$34.9K SEK 337.9K

$36.0K $36.0K

-3.08%

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

$34.9K SEK 338.4K

$24.6K $24.6K

41.71%

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

$287 SEK 2,782

$324 $324

-11.34%

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

$21.96 SEK 213

$53.0 $53.0

-58.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 SEK 387

$67.3 $67.3

-40.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.02 SEK 475

$35.96 $35.96

36.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.25 SEK 390

$56.2 $56.2

-28.33%

Cinema Ticket

$19.94 SEK 193

$12.85 $12.85

55.18%

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

$168 SEK 1,632

$1,494 $1,494

-88.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K SEK 168.9K

$33.0K $33.0K

-47.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 SEK 1,139

$53.7 $53.7

118.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 SEK 549

$44.08 $44.08

28.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 SEK 1,364

$117 $117

20.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 SEK 1,936

$111 $111

79.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 SEK 17.2K

$1,689 $1,689

4.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 SEK 10.8K

$1,102 $1,102

0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,309 SEK 32.1K

$2,328 $2,328

42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 SEK 18.6K

$1,593 $1,593

20.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K SEK 112.7K

$3,014 $3,014

285.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,540 SEK 63.4K

$1,737 $1,737

276.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,645 SEK 35.3K

$3,535 $3,535

3.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

6.07

-45.47%

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

Last update for Stockholm: September 7, 2026

Last update for Buffalo, NY: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,773 in Stockholm and $1,689 in Buffalo, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stockholm pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $105 in Stockholm vs $96.0 in Buffalo, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $411 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

Buffalo, NY wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Stockholm. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Buffalo, NY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Stockholm, 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: $1,773 in Stockholm versus $1,689 in Buffalo, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $168 in Stockholm versus $1,494 in Buffalo, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Stockholm. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Buffalo, NY 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 Buffalo, NY delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,616 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Buffalo, NY 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 Buffalo, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Stockholm. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.