Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Queenstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Queenstown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,732 in Stockholm versus $2,516 in Queenstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,130 in Stockholm versus $4,022 in Queenstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,527 in Stockholm versus $5,528 in Queenstown.

Living in Stockholm is roughly 9% more expensive than in Queenstown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stockholm 99% above, Queenstown 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 SEK 176

$15.08 NZ$25.63

22.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 SEK 982

$64.0 NZ$109

60.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 SEK 109

$9.55 NZ$16.23

19.69%

Cappuccino

$5.35 SEK 51.2

$3.46 NZ$5.88

54.62%

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

$3.89 SEK 37.17

$2.20 NZ$3.75

76.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SEK 30.64

$2.13 NZ$3.62

50.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 SEK 80.9

$6.96 NZ$11.83

21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 SEK 87.9

$6.68 NZ$11.36

37.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.68

$2.29 NZ$3.89

-24.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 SEK 39.86

$2.12 NZ$3.60

96.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 SEK 39.12

$1.80 NZ$3.07

127.22%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 49.62

$6.18 NZ$10.51

-16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$8.71 NZ$14.81

51.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 SEK 130

$10.36 NZ$17.60

30.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 SEK 213

$16.59 NZ$28.21

34.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 33.95

$3.16 NZ$5.36

12.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.43

$2.41 NZ$4.10

23.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.36

$3.88 NZ$6.60

-18.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 44.91

$5.86 NZ$9.96

-19.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.85

$3.67 NZ$6.23

-49.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.25

$1.94 NZ$3.29

-7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.78

$2.50 NZ$4.26

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.78

$2.05 NZ$3.49

21.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 SEK 87.1

$28.11 NZ$47.78

-67.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 SEK 121

$9.39 NZ$15.95

34.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.51

$4.57 NZ$7.76

-53.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.47

$6.70 NZ$11.39

-61.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 SEK 44.13

$1.50 NZ$2.55

207.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,078

$130 NZ$221

-13.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 59.3

$2.80 NZ$4.76

121.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 14.64

$1.99 NZ$3.38

-23.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 SEK 566

$30.63 NZ$52.1

93.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.43

$1.76 NZ$2.99

3.41%

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

$34.5K SEK 329.8K

$26.3K NZ$44.8K

30.96%

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

$35.1K SEK 336.0K

$24.1K NZ$40.9K

45.97%

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

$281 SEK 2,690

$118 NZ$200

138.78%

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

$22.69 SEK 217

$30.43 NZ$51.7

-25.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.70 SEK 389

$54.9 NZ$93.3

-25.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 SEK 460

$59.2 NZ$101

-18.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 396

$28.09 NZ$47.75

47.42%

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 SEK 189

$10.73 NZ$18.24

84.34%

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

$172 SEK 1,647

$1,022 NZ$1,737

-83.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K SEK 161.1K

$7,916 NZ$13.5K

112.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 SEK 1,149

$60.9 NZ$104

97.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 SEK 553

$47.65 NZ$81.0

21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 SEK 1,356

$97.0 NZ$165

46.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 SEK 1,939

$143 NZ$243

41.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 SEK 17.1K

$1,558 NZ$2,649

14.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.5K

$1,327 NZ$2,256

-17.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,323 SEK 31.8K

$3,052 NZ$5,188

8.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 SEK 17.8K

$2,661 NZ$4,523

-30.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K SEK 112.2K

$7,979 NZ$13.6K

47.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,611 SEK 63.2K

$5,433 NZ$9,236

21.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,662 SEK 35.0K

$3,248 NZ$5,522

12.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

6.12

-45.92%

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

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Last update for Queenstown: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,787 in Stockholm and $1,558 in Queenstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stockholm pays 13% 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: $103 in Stockholm vs $64.0 in Queenstown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $383 per month, with Queenstown 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 Queenstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Queenstown is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $1,787 in Stockholm versus $1,558 in Queenstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Queenstown – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $103 in Stockholm. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,732 per month in Stockholm versus $2,516 in Queenstown – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Queenstown is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Queenstown is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stockholm, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Stockholm and Queenstown 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 Queenstown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Stockholm. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.