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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,557 per month in Stockholm vs $1,478 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,865 per month in Stockholm vs $2,218 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,174 per month in Stockholm vs $2,957 in Sala, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 73% more than Sala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stockholm and Sala sit above the global median – Stockholm by 92%, Sala by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 153

$12.53 SEK 119

28.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,049

$63.7 SEK 605

73.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 SEK 111

$10.20 SEK 96.9

14.61%

Cappuccino

$5.04 SEK 47.86

$3.19 SEK 30.28

57.99%

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

$3.15 SEK 29.94

$1.86 SEK 17.70

69.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.30

$2.39 SEK 22.67

7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 SEK 79.6

$7.42 SEK 70.5

12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.63 SEK 82.0

$7.24 SEK 68.8

19.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SEK 17.03

$1.78 SEK 16.87

0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.37

$2.69 SEK 25.53

26.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 SEK 37.56

$3.63 SEK 34.44

8.82%

Eggs

$4.68 SEK 44.49

$3.86 SEK 36.68

21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 SEK 123

$12.12 SEK 115

6.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.00 SEK 123

$11.89 SEK 113

9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.07 SEK 181

$15.97 SEK 152

19.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SEK 32.94

$3.14 SEK 29.85

10.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 27.46

$2.57 SEK 24.45

12.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 SEK 32.48

$2.84 SEK 27.01

20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 SEK 43.94

$5.13 SEK 48.74

-9.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 SEK 18.12

$1.56 SEK 14.78

22.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.63

$1.18 SEK 11.17

57.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.98

$2.71 SEK 25.77

-2.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.34

$1.02 SEK 9.71

57.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.07 SEK 76.7

$7.20 SEK 68.4

12.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 SEK 117

$6.24 SEK 59.3

97.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.16

$2.50 SEK 23.73

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.58

$1.92 SEK 18.28

23.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.50 SEK 42.75

$3.25 SEK 30.83

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 SEK 1,080

$22.30 SEK 212

409.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 SEK 59.3

$6.15 SEK 58.5

1.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.13

$1.58 SEK 15.05

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 SEK 584

$21.29 SEK 202

188.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 SEK 17.84

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-4.57%

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

$32.0K SEK 304.1K

$41.4K SEK 393.5K

-22.72%

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

$34.8K SEK 330.4K

$34.5K SEK 328.1K

0.70%

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

$227 SEK 2,152

$89.6 SEK 852

152.77%

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

$28.66 SEK 272

$21.17 SEK 201

35.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.65 SEK 405

$36.99 SEK 351

15.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 SEK 445

$48.67 SEK 462

-3.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.07 SEK 352

$21.31 SEK 202

73.96%

Cinema Ticket

$18.04 SEK 171

$18.75 SEK 178

-3.79%

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

$163 SEK 1,553

$148 SEK 1,404

10.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,574 SEK 62.5K

$1,284 SEK 12.2K

412.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 SEK 912

$45.96 SEK 437

108.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.89 SEK 474

$36.96 SEK 351

34.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,142

$54.4 SEK 517

121.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 SEK 1,906

$58.4 SEK 554

243.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 SEK 15.2K

$764 SEK 7,261

109.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 SEK 10.4K

$531 SEK 5,044

106.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,742 SEK 26.1K

$985 SEK 9,354

178.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 SEK 17.0K

$737 SEK 7,002

142.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K SEK 110.3K

$4,100 SEK 38.9K

183.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,671 SEK 63.4K

$3,033 SEK 28.8K

119.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,505 SEK 33.3K

$2,507 SEK 23.8K

39.78%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,598 in Stockholm versus $764 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 40% 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 $110 in Stockholm versus $64.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $345 – 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 73% 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 $3,835 per month in Stockholm and $2,217 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 $163 per month in Stockholm and $148 in Sala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,478, than in Stockholm at $2,557. 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 $1,478 versus $2,557 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.