Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Kista Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Kista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Stockholm vs $1,841 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,818 per month in Stockholm vs $2,845 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,128 per month in Stockholm vs $3,849 in Kista, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 36% more than Kista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stockholm and Kista sit above the global median – Stockholm by 88%, Kista by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 153

$13.40 SEK 128

19.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,070

$73.7 SEK 706

51.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 SEK 110

$10.67 SEK 102

7.69%

Cappuccino

$5.09 SEK 48.82

$4.52 SEK 43.33

12.61%

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

$3.27 SEK 31.32

$2.75 SEK 26.34

18.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 SEK 24.42

$2.50 SEK 23.96

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.61 SEK 82.5

$7.84 SEK 75.1

9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 SEK 78.4

$7.42 SEK 71.2

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.68

$1.67 SEK 16.02

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 SEK 32.81

$2.87 SEK 27.48

19.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 37.06

$3.81 SEK 36.52

1.57%

Eggs

$4.71 SEK 45.12

$4.16 SEK 39.90

13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 124

$12.07 SEK 116

6.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 SEK 127

$11.74 SEK 113

12.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 SEK 185

$16.88 SEK 162

14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 33.70

$3.10 SEK 29.72

13.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.21

$2.58 SEK 24.68

10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 SEK 32.65

$3.02 SEK 28.92

12.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 SEK 42.72

$4.38 SEK 41.97

1.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SEK 18.49

$1.56 SEK 14.94

23.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 18.03

$1.79 SEK 17.18

5.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 25.17

$2.64 SEK 25.29

-0.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.87

$1.51 SEK 14.47

2.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.00 SEK 76.7

$7.44 SEK 71.3

7.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 SEK 122

$9.21 SEK 88.3

38.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 21.58

$1.96 SEK 18.81

14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SEK 22.27

$1.90 SEK 18.25

22.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.64 SEK 44.47

$3.30 SEK 31.63

40.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 SEK 1,068

$75.2 SEK 721

48.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 SEK 58.4

$6.29 SEK 60.3

-3.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 15.98

$1.60 SEK 15.36

4.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.6 SEK 600

$62.5 SEK 599

0.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.93

$1.90 SEK 18.19

-1.58%

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

$33.0K SEK 316.2K

$32.8K SEK 314.4K

0.57%

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

$34.8K SEK 333.2K

$34.4K SEK 329.3K

1.17%

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

$230 SEK 2,203

$112 SEK 1,073

105.22%

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

$29.14 SEK 279

$28.99 SEK 278

0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.95 SEK 402

$36.29 SEK 348

15.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.57 SEK 456

$40.93 SEK 392

16.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.44 SEK 359

$25.26 SEK 242

48.22%

Cinema Ticket

$17.95 SEK 172

$15.90 SEK 152

12.89%

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

$162 SEK 1,553

$144 SEK 1,381

12.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,490 SEK 62.2K

$4,120 SEK 39.5K

57.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 SEK 943

$94.9 SEK 909

3.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.58 SEK 466

$40.22 SEK 385

20.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,146

$96.6 SEK 925

23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 SEK 1,961

$152 SEK 1,457

34.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 SEK 15.3K

$848 SEK 8,122

88.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 SEK 10.7K

$641 SEK 6,143

74.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,739 SEK 26.3K

$1,417 SEK 13.6K

93.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 SEK 17.4K

$1,078 SEK 10.3K

68.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K SEK 115.6K

$3,939 SEK 37.8K

206.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,780 SEK 65.0K

$2,986 SEK 28.6K

127.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,706 SEK 35.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.53

-8.17%

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

Last update for Stockholm: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kista: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Stockholm versus $848 in Kista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $112 in Stockholm versus $74.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $357 – making Kista 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 Kista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 36% more than Kista, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Stockholm and $2,761 in Kista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,508 in Stockholm and $1,841 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Kista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kista, where all-in costs run around $1,841, than in Stockholm at $2,508. In Kista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kista costs $1,841 versus $2,508 in Stockholm. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kista. 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.