Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Karlskrona Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Karlskrona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,631 per month in Stockholm vs $1,639 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,058 per month in Stockholm vs $2,583 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,486 per month in Stockholm vs $3,528 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 60% more than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stockholm and Karlskrona sit above the global median – Stockholm by 92%, Karlskrona by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.81 SEK 185

$13.36 SEK 132

40.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 SEK 1,027

$67.3 SEK 663

54.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 SEK 120

$9.46 SEK 93.2

28.75%

Cappuccino

$5.23 SEK 51.5

$4.09 SEK 40.27

27.87%

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

$3.69 SEK 36.36

$1.35 SEK 13.29

173.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 SEK 29.80

$2.28 SEK 22.49

32.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 SEK 82.1

$7.32 SEK 72.2

13.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.34 SEK 92.0

$5.14 SEK 50.7

81.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 16.72

$1.48 SEK 14.55

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 SEK 40.91

$2.71 SEK 26.75

53.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 SEK 38.50

$3.74 SEK 36.84

4.55%

Eggs

$5.29 SEK 52.2

$4.61 SEK 45.44

14.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 SEK 128

$10.87 SEK 107

19.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 SEK 132

$13.28 SEK 131

1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.60 SEK 223

$17.32 SEK 171

30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 35.89

$3.15 SEK 30.99

15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.94

$2.37 SEK 23.33

19.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 32.41

$2.95 SEK 29.10

11.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 SEK 44.32

$4.55 SEK 44.87

-1.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.13

$1.51 SEK 14.89

15.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 17.46

$1.51 SEK 14.91

17.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 SEK 24.27

$2.15 SEK 21.19

14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 SEK 23.17

$1.47 SEK 14.51

59.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 SEK 87.4

$7.15 SEK 70.5

24.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 SEK 121

$12.79 SEK 126

-4.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 SEK 20.61

$1.97 SEK 19.43

6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 25.47

$1.76 SEK 17.30

46.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 SEK 42.77

$3.03 SEK 29.91

43.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 SEK 1,058

$73.5 SEK 725

45.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 SEK 58.7

$13.58 SEK 134

-56.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 SEK 15.25

$2.00 SEK 19.76

-22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.2 SEK 563

$82.2 SEK 810

-30.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 SEK 17.64

$1.71 SEK 16.84

4.68%

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

$34.4K SEK 339.1K

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

3.69%

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

$35.3K SEK 347.8K

$33.4K SEK 329.3K

5.63%

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

$264 SEK 2,602

$52.6 SEK 518

401.98%

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

$21.83 SEK 215

$28.34 SEK 279

-22.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.49 SEK 409

$37.87 SEK 373

9.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.66 SEK 470

$42.28 SEK 417

12.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.48 SEK 389

$24.72 SEK 244

59.71%

Cinema Ticket

$19.15 SEK 189

$16.62 SEK 164

15.22%

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

$166 SEK 1,637

$164 SEK 1,618

1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K SEK 167.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 SEK 1,126

$98.9 SEK 975

15.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SEK 595

$20.68 SEK 204

191.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 SEK 1,363

$81.8 SEK 806

69.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 SEK 1,864

$178 SEK 1,756

6.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 SEK 17.4K

$686 SEK 6,762

158.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SEK 10.6K

$597 SEK 5,879

79.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,181 SEK 31.3K

$1,140 SEK 11.2K

178.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 SEK 18.5K

$963 SEK 9,494

95.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 116.3K

$2,944 SEK 29.0K

300.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,814 SEK 67.2K

$2,555 SEK 25.2K

166.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,595 SEK 35.4K

$2,546 SEK 25.1K

41.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

4.22

-20.14%

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

Last update for Stockholm: September 13, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,771 in Stockholm versus $686 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 41% 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 $104 in Stockholm versus $67.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $427 vs $364 – making Karlskrona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,946 per month in Stockholm and $2,459 in Karlskrona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlskrona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Stockholm and $67.0 in Karlskrona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,631 in Stockholm and $1,639 in Karlskrona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlskrona, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Stockholm at $2,631. In Karlskrona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlskrona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karlskrona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.