Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Skien Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Skien

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,732 per month in Stockholm vs $2,357 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Stockholm vs $3,341 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,527 per month in Stockholm vs $4,326 in Skien, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 16% more than Skien, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stockholm and Skien sit above the global median – Stockholm by 99%, Skien by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 SEK 176

$21.53 NOK 200

-14.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 SEK 979

$106 NOK 989

-3.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 SEK 109

$15.84 NOK 147

-27.84%

Cappuccino

$5.35 SEK 51.0

$5.47 NOK 50.8

-2.19%

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

$3.89 SEK 37.06

$4.23 NOK 39.25

-8.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SEK 30.54

$3.20 NOK 29.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 SEK 80.6

$12.01 NOK 112

-29.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 SEK 87.6

$12.63 NOK 117

-27.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.63

$2.07 NOK 19.24

-15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 SEK 39.74

$3.95 NOK 36.69

5.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 SEK 38.99

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-12.42%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 49.46

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-10.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 126

$13.58 NOK 126

-2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 SEK 129

$15.54 NOK 144

-12.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 SEK 213

$22.90 NOK 213

-2.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 33.84

$3.40 NOK 31.61

4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.34

$2.76 NOK 25.60

7.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.26

$3.46 NOK 32.11

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 44.77

$6.05 NOK 56.2

-22.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.79

$2.38 NOK 22.06

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.19

$2.99 NOK 27.75

-39.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.71

$3.06 NOK 28.42

-18.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.71

$2.45 NOK 22.78

1.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 SEK 86.8

$19.12 NOK 177

-52.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 SEK 121

$16.30 NOK 151

-22.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.45

$3.52 NOK 32.67

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.39

$4.44 NOK 41.20

-42.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 SEK 43.99

$3.47 NOK 32.20

32.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,075

$48.24 NOK 448

133.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 59.1

$11.14 NOK 103

-44.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 14.59

$1.91 NOK 17.75

-19.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 SEK 564

$72.6 NOK 674

-18.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.38

$2.25 NOK 20.89

-19.11%

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

$34.5K SEK 328.8K

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

-28.97%

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

$35.1K SEK 334.9K

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

-20.03%

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

$281 SEK 2,681

$97.8 NOK 908

187.57%

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

$22.69 SEK 216

$33.45 NOK 311

-32.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.70 SEK 388

$58.5 NOK 543

-30.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 SEK 458

$41.06 NOK 381

17.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 395

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 SEK 189

$15.30 NOK 142

29.28%

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

$172 SEK 1,642

$244 NOK 2,266

-29.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K SEK 160.6K

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

5.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 SEK 1,145

$63.0 NOK 585

90.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 SEK 551

$60.9 NOK 565

-5.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 SEK 1,351

$90.7 NOK 842

56.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 SEK 1,933

$161 NOK 1,495

25.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 SEK 17.0K

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

65.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.4K

$987 NOK 9,168

10.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,323 SEK 31.7K

$1,050 NOK 9,751

216.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 SEK 17.7K

$971 NOK 9,017

91.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K SEK 111.9K

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

225.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,611 SEK 63.0K

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

107.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,662 SEK 34.9K

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

-14.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

4.37

-24.26%

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

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,787 in Stockholm versus $1,080 in Skien. 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 17% higher in Skien, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Stockholm versus $106 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $481 – making Stockholm 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,098 per month in Stockholm and $3,536 in Skien. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Stockholm and $106 in Skien. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,732 in Stockholm and $2,357 in Skien. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Skien, where all-in costs run around $2,357, than in Stockholm at $2,732. In Skien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skien – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Skien. 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.