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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Stockholm vs $2,282 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Stockholm vs $3,202 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,096 per month in Stockholm vs $4,122 in Skien, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 10% more than Skien, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stockholm and Skien sit above the global median – Stockholm by 87%, Skien by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 150

$28.96 NOK 269

-44.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,045

$101 NOK 935

11.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 SEK 108

$13.26 NOK 123

-12.67%

Cappuccino

$5.08 SEK 47.40

$4.88 NOK 45.35

4.10%

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

$3.30 SEK 30.79

$2.47 NOK 22.94

33.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.35

$2.19 NOK 20.38

14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 SEK 80.9

$9.05 NOK 84.0

-4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 77.5

$9.67 NOK 89.8

-14.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.03

$2.02 NOK 18.73

-14.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 32.29

$3.30 NOK 30.67

4.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.28

$3.15 NOK 29.30

26.67%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 44.00

$4.20 NOK 39.01

12.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 SEK 122

$11.36 NOK 106

14.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 120

$14.22 NOK 132

-9.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 SEK 183

$25.44 NOK 236

-23.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.73

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.37

$2.32 NOK 21.55

21.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 31.62

$3.30 NOK 30.63

2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 42.88

$4.02 NOK 37.36

14.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 SEK 17.70

$2.29 NOK 21.26

-17.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.54

$2.16 NOK 20.07

-12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.27

$2.94 NOK 27.36

-11.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 14.98

$1.89 NOK 17.55

-14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 73.0

$18.86 NOK 175

-58.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 120

$15.87 NOK 147

-19.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.15

$3.33 NOK 30.97

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 20.95

$3.95 NOK 36.67

-43.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 SEK 42.60

$2.69 NOK 25.02

69.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,028

$44.33 NOK 412

148.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 SEK 58.5

$36.08 NOK 335

-82.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.67

$1.46 NOK 13.57

7.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 583

$99.7 NOK 926

-37.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$2.09 NOK 19.41

-12.92%

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

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

28.16%

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

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

-0.97%

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

$229 SEK 2,133

$96.6 NOK 897

136.66%

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

$28.82 SEK 269

$37.34 NOK 347

-22.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.69 SEK 389

$38.51 NOK 358

8.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 SEK 435

$38.00 NOK 353

22.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 359

$34.76 NOK 323

10.64%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 SEK 165

$14.39 NOK 134

22.65%

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

$165 SEK 1,541

$312 NOK 2,900

-47.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

-34.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 SEK 909

$40.85 NOK 380

138.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 SEK 461

$35.21 NOK 327

40.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,090

$92.8 NOK 862

25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,907

$153 NOK 1,421

33.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

$961 NOK 8,931

65.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

$1,000 NOK 9,291

10.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

151.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

$902 NOK 8,381

100.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

243.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

104.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

-11.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

3.8

9.47%

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

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Last update for Skien: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Stockholm versus $961 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 13% 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 $112 in Stockholm versus $101 in Skien. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Stockholm vs $432 in Skien – so Stockholm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,758 per month in Stockholm and $3,422 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 $112 in Stockholm and $101 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 $2,505 in Stockholm and $2,282 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 $2,282, than in Stockholm at $2,505. 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.