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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,582 per month in Stockholm vs $2,347 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in Stockholm vs $3,223 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,098 per month in Stockholm vs $4,098 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 93%, Skien by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 155

$28.93 NOK 279

-44.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,062

$99.7 NOK 960

10.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 SEK 113

$13.15 NOK 127

-11.18%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SEK 50.1

$4.94 NOK 47.62

5.26%

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

$3.28 SEK 31.64

$2.52 NOK 24.29

30.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.78

$2.23 NOK 21.47

10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 82.0

$9.22 NOK 88.8

-7.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 80.1

$9.88 NOK 95.1

-15.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.33

$1.94 NOK 18.66

-7.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.84

$3.41 NOK 32.87

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 SEK 39.19

$3.33 NOK 32.08

22.22%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 45.33

$4.22 NOK 40.61

11.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 SEK 123

$11.58 NOK 112

10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$14.14 NOK 136

-6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 SEK 187

$25.44 NOK 245

-23.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 SEK 34.66

$3.75 NOK 36.11

-4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.93

$2.26 NOK 21.73

28.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 32.54

$3.27 NOK 31.45

3.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 SEK 44.21

$4.02 NOK 38.72

14.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.92

$2.22 NOK 21.41

-11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 18.17

$2.12 NOK 20.39

-10.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 24.24

$3.00 NOK 28.87

-16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.55

$1.89 NOK 18.24

-14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 77.7

$19.24 NOK 185

-58.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 SEK 121

$15.31 NOK 147

-18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.08

$3.29 NOK 31.72

-33.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 SEK 22.76

$3.86 NOK 37.16

-38.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 SEK 43.89

$2.67 NOK 25.73

70.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 SEK 1,080

$43.34 NOK 417

158.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 SEK 61.7

$35.68 NOK 344

-82.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.95

$1.45 NOK 13.92

14.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.3 SEK 610

$100 NOK 966

-36.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.92

$2.18 NOK 20.98

-14.68%

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

$33.0K SEK 318.3K

$25.6K NOK 246.8K

28.93%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.9K

$35.6K NOK 343.3K

-3.08%

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

$227 SEK 2,189

$98.7 NOK 950

130.30%

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

$29.59 SEK 285

$38.06 NOK 367

-22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.03 SEK 405

$38.32 NOK 369

9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 SEK 443

$37.33 NOK 360

23.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.09 SEK 367

$35.73 NOK 344

6.61%

Cinema Ticket

$17.78 SEK 171

$13.95 NOK 134

27.46%

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

$164 SEK 1,582

$307 NOK 2,954

-46.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 SEK 63.3K

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

-35.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 SEK 941

$39.71 NOK 382

145.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.76 SEK 480

$35.38 NOK 341

40.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,159

$90.2 NOK 868

33.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 SEK 1,945

$152 NOK 1,463

32.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

$971 NOK 9,355

61.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$976 NOK 9,397

11.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 SEK 26.5K

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

145.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

$914 NOK 8,807

96.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 113.3K

$3,335 NOK 32.1K

252.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

113.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,643 SEK 35.1K

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

-9.72%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Stockholm versus $971 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 11% 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 $110 in Stockholm versus $100 in Skien. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Stockholm vs $431 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 $3,873 per month in Stockholm and $3,520 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 $110 in Stockholm and $100 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 $2,582 in Stockholm and $2,347 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 $2,347, than in Stockholm at $2,582. 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.