Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Sala Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Sala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Stockholm vs $1,500 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,818 per month in Stockholm vs $2,227 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,128 per month in Stockholm vs $2,954 in Sala, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 67% more than Sala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stockholm and Sala sit above the global median – Stockholm by 88%, Sala by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 149

$12.56 SEK 118

26.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,044

$64.2 SEK 600

73.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 SEK 108

$10.43 SEK 97.6

10.16%

Cappuccino

$5.09 SEK 47.65

$3.25 SEK 30.42

56.62%

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

$3.27 SEK 30.57

$1.82 SEK 17.03

79.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 SEK 23.84

$2.52 SEK 23.55

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.61 SEK 80.6

$7.47 SEK 69.9

15.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 SEK 76.5

$7.58 SEK 70.9

7.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.28

$1.77 SEK 16.58

-1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 SEK 32.02

$2.67 SEK 25.01

28.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.18

$3.73 SEK 34.93

3.75%

Eggs

$4.71 SEK 44.05

$4.03 SEK 37.70

16.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 121

$11.89 SEK 111

8.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 SEK 124

$11.89 SEK 111

11.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 SEK 180

$15.96 SEK 149

20.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 32.90

$3.06 SEK 28.64

15.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.56

$2.58 SEK 24.11

10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 SEK 31.87

$2.72 SEK 25.46

25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 SEK 41.70

$5.30 SEK 49.56

-15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 SEK 18.05

$1.50 SEK 14.06

28.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.60

$1.18 SEK 11.07

59.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.57

$2.75 SEK 25.74

-4.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.51

$1.02 SEK 9.53

51.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.00 SEK 74.8

$7.57 SEK 70.9

5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 SEK 119

$6.31 SEK 59.1

101.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 21.07

$2.58 SEK 24.17

-12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SEK 21.73

$1.91 SEK 17.88

21.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.64 SEK 43.41

$3.13 SEK 29.23

48.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 SEK 1,042

$21.99 SEK 206

406.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 SEK 57.0

$6.22 SEK 58.1

-1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 15.60

$1.64 SEK 15.35

1.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.6 SEK 586

$21.15 SEK 198

196.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.50

$1.92 SEK 17.96

-2.60%

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

$33.0K SEK 308.6K

$42.2K SEK 394.8K

-21.83%

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

$34.8K SEK 325.2K

$34.5K SEK 322.3K

0.92%

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

$230 SEK 2,150

$90.6 SEK 848

153.59%

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

$29.14 SEK 273

$20.68 SEK 193

40.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.95 SEK 392

$36.22 SEK 339

15.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.57 SEK 445

$48.47 SEK 453

-1.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.44 SEK 350

$21.08 SEK 197

77.61%

Cinema Ticket

$17.95 SEK 168

$18.63 SEK 174

-3.65%

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

$162 SEK 1,516

$149 SEK 1,397

8.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,490 SEK 60.7K

$1,259 SEK 11.8K

415.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 SEK 920

$46.04 SEK 431

113.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.58 SEK 454

$36.25 SEK 339

34.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,119

$54.8 SEK 513

118.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 SEK 1,914

$58.1 SEK 543

252.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 SEK 14.9K

$756 SEK 7,068

111.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 SEK 10.5K

$530 SEK 4,954

111.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,739 SEK 25.6K

$963 SEK 9,010

184.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 SEK 17.0K

$720 SEK 6,740

151.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.1K SEK 112.8K

$3,957 SEK 37.0K

204.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,780 SEK 63.4K

$2,730 SEK 25.5K

148.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,706 SEK 34.7K

$2,533 SEK 23.7K

46.28%

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 Sala: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Stockholm versus $756 in Sala. 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 46% 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 $112 in Stockholm versus $64.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $346 – making Sala 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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 67% more than Sala, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,250 in Sala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $162 per month in Stockholm and $149 in Sala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Stockholm, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sala, where all-in costs run around $1,500, than in Stockholm at $2,508. In Sala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sala costs $1,500 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 Sala. 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.