Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Karlskrona

For one person, living is cheaper in Karlskrona: $1,636 a month against $2,531 in Stockholm, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Stockholm, Sweden
Karlskrona, Sweden
Stockholm
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,531
/mo nomad
Karlskrona
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,636
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stockholm and in Karlskrona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stockholm and in Karlskrona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Stockholm vs $1,636 in Karlskrona, rent included.

  • Stockholm $2,531
  • Karlskrona $1,636

A couple spends around $3,823 per month in Stockholm vs $2,545 in Karlskrona, rent included.

  • Stockholm $3,823
  • Karlskrona $2,545

A family of three spends $5,114 per month in Stockholm vs $3,453 in Karlskrona, rent included.

  • Stockholm $5,114
  • Karlskrona $3,453

Stockholm costs about 55% more than Karlskrona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Stockholm and Karlskrona sit above the global median – Stockholm by 86%, Karlskrona by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.91 SEK 176
$12.82 SEK 126
39.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$102 SEK 1,000
$66.2 SEK 649
54.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 SEK 115
$8.81 SEK 86.5
33.48%
Cappuccino
$5.17 SEK 50.8
$4.09 SEK 40.16
26.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 SEK 35.97
$1.33 SEK 13.07
175.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 SEK 30.16
$2.25 SEK 22.07
36.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.86 SEK 77.2
$6.93 SEK 68.0
13.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.11 SEK 89.4
$5.00 SEK 49.11
82.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 SEK 16.20
$1.46 SEK 14.30
13.01%
White Bread (500g)
$3.91 SEK 38.38
$2.67 SEK 26.21
46.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.72 SEK 36.47
$3.66 SEK 35.96
1.64%
Eggs
$5.09 SEK 49.96
$4.41 SEK 43.23
15.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.83 SEK 126
$11.01 SEK 108
16.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.77 SEK 125
$13.05 SEK 128
-2.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.47 SEK 221
$17.37 SEK 171
29.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 SEK 34.88
$3.07 SEK 30.10
15.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.87 SEK 28.20
$2.32 SEK 22.73
23.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 SEK 31.98
$3.03 SEK 29.78
7.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.36 SEK 42.77
$4.40 SEK 43.20
-0.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 SEK 17.30
$1.49 SEK 14.67
18.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 SEK 17.54
$1.49 SEK 14.67
20.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.45 SEK 24.05
$2.18 SEK 21.37
12.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.37 SEK 23.28
$1.42 SEK 13.98
66.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.68 SEK 85.2
$6.99 SEK 68.6
24.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.16 SEK 119
$12.80 SEK 126
-5.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 SEK 20.88
$2.04 SEK 20.01
4.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 SEK 24.80
$1.63 SEK 16.00
55.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.27 SEK 41.94
$2.94 SEK 28.84
45.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$107 SEK 1,045
$70.8 SEK 694
50.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.05 SEK 59.4
$13.17 SEK 129
-54.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 SEK 15.13
$2.06 SEK 20.26
-25.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$55.7 SEK 546
$80.5 SEK 789
-30.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 SEK 17.82
$1.77 SEK 17.36
2.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K SEK 321.5K
$32.7K SEK 321.0K
0.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K SEK 330.8K
$33.2K SEK 326.1K
1.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$254 SEK 2,492
$51.1 SEK 501
397.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.66 SEK 213
$28.03 SEK 275
-22.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.33 SEK 406
$36.39 SEK 357
13.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.32 SEK 455
$41.03 SEK 403
12.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$38.99 SEK 383
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.53 SEK 182
$16.13 SEK 158
14.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$160 SEK 1,566
$160 SEK 1,573
-0.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K SEK 159.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 SEK 1,091
$97.6 SEK 958
13.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.7 SEK 586
$20.06 SEK 197
197.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$133 SEK 1,305
$79.6 SEK 781
67.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$183 SEK 1,800
$179 SEK 1,757
2.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 SEK 15.8K
$681 SEK 6,679
137.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,031 SEK 10.1K
$576 SEK 5,649
79.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,614 SEK 25.6K
$1,097 SEK 10.8K
138.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,677 SEK 16.5K
$937 SEK 9,196
78.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.8K SEK 115.9K
$2,929 SEK 28.7K
303.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,816 SEK 66.9K
$2,526 SEK 24.8K
169.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stockholm
Karlskrona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,521 SEK 34.6K
$2,463 SEK 24.2K
42.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.33
4.22
-21.09%

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

Last update for Stockholm: October 24, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Stockholm
$1K
Karlskrona
$576 44.2% $455
Groceries & Markets
Stockholm
$418
Karlskrona
$360 13.9% $58
Eating Out
Stockholm
$325
Karlskrona
$237 27.1% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stockholm
$317
Karlskrona
$116 63.6% $201
Clothing & Footwear
Stockholm
$219
Karlskrona
$169 22.8% $50
Getting Around
Stockholm
$137
Karlskrona
$106 22.8% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Stockholm
$83
Karlskrona
$73 12.1% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Stockholm versus $681 in Karlskrona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Stockholm, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Stockholm versus $66 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $360 – making Karlskrona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Stockholm
🇸🇪 Karlskrona
🕒 Local time
10:26 10:26 AM
10:26 10:26 AM
Same time as Stockholm
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
984,748 Capital
35,212
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Stockholm Karlskrona 380 km
From you
  • Stockholm
  • Karlskrona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Karlskrona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karlskrona cheaper than Stockholm?
Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Stockholm and $2,455 in Karlskrona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlskrona, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $681 there versus $1,614 in Stockholm.
Is eating out cheaper in Stockholm or in Karlskrona?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Stockholm and $66 in Karlskrona. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Stockholm and in Karlskrona?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,531 in Stockholm and $1,636 in Karlskrona. That makes Karlskrona about 35% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Stockholm or in Karlskrona?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlskrona, where all-in costs run around $1,636, than in Stockholm at $2,531. In Karlskrona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Stockholm or in Karlskrona?
It depends on your priorities. Stockholm has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,636 in Karlskrona to $2,531 in Stockholm. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Stockholm or Karlskrona?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Karlskrona. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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