Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Sala, Sweden

For one person, living is cheaper in Sala: $1,555 a month against $2,531 in Stockholm, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Stockholm
Learn more

Stockholm Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Sala
Learn more

Sala Living Index

Jump to prices

Stockholm

🇸🇪 Sweden

$2,531

/mo nomad

Sala

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,555

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stockholm and in Sala

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 Sala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Stockholm vs $1,555 in Sala, rent included.

Stockholm $2,531
Sala $1,555

A couple spends around $3,823 per month in Stockholm vs $2,301 in Sala, rent included.

Stockholm $3,823
Sala $2,301

A family of three spends $5,114 per month in Stockholm vs $3,046 in Sala, rent included.

Stockholm $5,114
Sala $3,046

Stockholm costs about 63% more than Sala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Stockholm and Sala sit above the global median – Stockholm by 86%, Sala by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.91 SEK 176

$12.16 SEK 119

47.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 SEK 1,000

$60.1 SEK 590

69.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 SEK 115

$9.87 SEK 96.9

19.15%

Cappuccino

$5.17 SEK 50.8

$3.04 SEK 29.84

70.07%

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

$3.66 SEK 35.97

$1.74 SEK 17.05

110.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 SEK 30.16

$2.24 SEK 21.97

37.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 77.2

$7.19 SEK 70.5

9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.11 SEK 89.4

$7.24 SEK 71.1

25.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SEK 16.20

$1.72 SEK 16.89

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 SEK 38.38

$2.57 SEK 25.25

52.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 SEK 36.47

$3.42 SEK 33.61

8.77%

Eggs

$5.09 SEK 49.96

$5.26 SEK 51.6

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 SEK 126

$11.30 SEK 111

13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.77 SEK 125

$12.99 SEK 127

-1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.47 SEK 221

$22.54 SEK 221

-0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 34.88

$2.90 SEK 28.43

22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 28.20

$2.67 SEK 26.21

7.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 31.98

$2.68 SEK 26.32

21.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 SEK 42.77

$4.59 SEK 45.05

-5.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 17.30

$1.45 SEK 14.21

21.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 17.54

$1.13 SEK 11.11

58.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 SEK 24.05

$2.53 SEK 24.81

-3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 SEK 23.28

$1.03 SEK 10.14

130.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.68 SEK 85.2

$6.96 SEK 68.3

24.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 SEK 119

$6.01 SEK 59.0

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 SEK 20.88

$2.01 SEK 19.70

5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 24.80

$1.76 SEK 17.30

43.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.27 SEK 41.94

$2.98 SEK 29.25

43.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 SEK 1,045

$20.73 SEK 203

413.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 SEK 59.4

$5.86 SEK 57.5

3.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SEK 15.13

$1.78 SEK 17.48

-13.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.7 SEK 546

$81.0 SEK 795

-31.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.82

$1.70 SEK 16.70

7.06%

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

$32.8K SEK 321.5K

$33.9K SEK 332.6K

-3.33%

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

$33.7K SEK 330.8K

$33.6K SEK 330.0K

0.25%

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

$254 SEK 2,492

$178 SEK 1,742

43.08%

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

$21.66 SEK 213

$19.84 SEK 195

9.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.33 SEK 406

$39.07 SEK 383

5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.32 SEK 455

$45.69 SEK 448

1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.99 SEK 383

$19.95 SEK 196

95.44%

Cinema Ticket

$18.53 SEK 182

$16.33 SEK 160

13.47%

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

$160 SEK 1,566

$221 SEK 2,164

-27.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K SEK 159.0K

$1,219 SEK 12.0K

1229.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 SEK 1,091

$44.53 SEK 437

149.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 SEK 586

$34.85 SEK 342

71.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 SEK 1,305

$52.4 SEK 514

153.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 SEK 1,800

$55.0 SEK 540

233.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 SEK 15.8K

$716 SEK 7,028

125.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SEK 10.1K

$516 SEK 5,065

99.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 SEK 25.6K

$921 SEK 9,035

183.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 SEK 16.5K

$713 SEK 7,001

135.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 115.9K

$3,986 SEK 39.1K

196.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 SEK 66.9K

$2,798 SEK 27.5K

143.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,521 SEK 34.6K

$2,432 SEK 23.9K

44.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

2.8

18.93%

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

Last update for Stockholm: October 24, 2026

Last update for Sala: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Stockholm

$1K 40.8%

Sala

$516 33.2% 49.9% $515

Groceries & Markets

Stockholm

$418 16.5%

Sala

$363 23.4% 13.1% $55

Eating Out

Stockholm

$325 12.9%

Sala

$230 14.8% 29.3% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stockholm

$317 12.5%

Sala

$236 15.2% 25.4% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Stockholm

$219 8.7%

Sala

$84 5.4% 61.7% $135

Getting Around

Stockholm

$137 5.4%

Sala

$47 3.1% 65.5% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Stockholm

$83 3.3%

Sala

$78 5% 6% $5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Stockholm versus $716 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 45% 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 $60 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $363 – making Sala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Stockholm

🇸🇪 Sala

🕒 Local time

05:50 5:50 AM

Same time as Stockholm

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

984,748 Capital

22,994

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.19 USD

100 SEK = 9.13 EUR

100 SEK = 10.19 USD

100 SEK = 9.13 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Stockholm Sala 110 km

From you

Stockholm
Sala

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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 63% more than Sala, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Stockholm and $2,333 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,614 in Stockholm.

Kindergarten costs $160 per month in Stockholm and $221 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 the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,531 in Stockholm and $1,555 in Sala. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Stockholm has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,555 in Sala to $2,531 in Stockholm. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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