Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Varberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Varberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,701 per month in Stockholm vs $1,671 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,056 per month in Stockholm vs $2,673 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,411 per month in Stockholm vs $3,675 in Varberg, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 62% more than Varberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stockholm and Varberg sit above the global median – Stockholm by 96%, Varberg by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.46 SEK 179

$15.62 SEK 151

18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 SEK 1,018

$79.9 SEK 774

31.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 SEK 112

$10.59 SEK 103

9.44%

Cappuccino

$5.11 SEK 49.51

$3.90 SEK 37.85

31.03%

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

$3.77 SEK 36.56

$1.23 SEK 11.90

206.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 SEK 31.81

$1.12 SEK 10.81

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 SEK 79.3

$6.35 SEK 61.6

28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.31 SEK 90.2

$7.90 SEK 76.6

17.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 17.23

$1.55 SEK 15.04

14.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.02 SEK 38.96

$3.07 SEK 29.80

30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 39.96

$3.52 SEK 34.15

17.05%

Eggs

$5.43 SEK 52.7

$4.33 SEK 41.99

25.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 SEK 131

$13.25 SEK 128

1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 SEK 131

$11.64 SEK 113

16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.13 SEK 214

$20.42 SEK 198

8.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 35.83

$3.19 SEK 30.94

15.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.40

$2.60 SEK 25.19

8.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 31.41

$3.15 SEK 30.58

2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 46.47

$4.37 SEK 42.33

9.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.16

$1.55 SEK 15.02

20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 18.04

$1.62 SEK 15.66

14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.87

$2.65 SEK 25.72

-3.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.30

$1.02 SEK 9.91

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.12 SEK 88.4

$7.11 SEK 68.9

28.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 SEK 122

$10.47 SEK 102

20.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.84

$2.10 SEK 20.35

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 24.99

$1.27 SEK 12.29

103.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 SEK 44.52

$2.97 SEK 28.81

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 SEK 1,076

$81.6 SEK 791

36.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 SEK 60.2

$5.31 SEK 51.5

16.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 SEK 14.98

$2.53 SEK 24.50

-38.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.6 SEK 568

$51.5 SEK 499

13.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.41

$1.81 SEK 17.53

4.97%

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

$34.9K SEK 337.9K

$34.3K SEK 332.8K

1.53%

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

$34.9K SEK 338.4K

$35.2K SEK 340.8K

-0.73%

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

$287 SEK 2,782

$146 SEK 1,411

97.11%

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

$21.96 SEK 213

$20.72 SEK 201

5.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 SEK 387

$30.78 SEK 298

29.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.02 SEK 475

$41.70 SEK 404

17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.25 SEK 390

$41.46 SEK 402

-2.92%

Cinema Ticket

$19.94 SEK 193

$16.46 SEK 160

21.14%

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

$168 SEK 1,632

$159 SEK 1,544

5.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K SEK 168.9K

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

385.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 SEK 1,139

$74.0 SEK 718

58.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 SEK 549

$41.00 SEK 397

38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 SEK 1,364

$113 SEK 1,093

24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 SEK 1,936

$159 SEK 1,544

25.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 SEK 17.2K

$844 SEK 8,185

110.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 SEK 10.8K

$529 SEK 5,130

110.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,309 SEK 32.1K

$1,244 SEK 12.1K

166.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 SEK 18.6K

$950 SEK 9,211

102.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K SEK 112.7K

$6,747 SEK 65.4K

72.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,540 SEK 63.4K

$3,577 SEK 34.7K

82.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,645 SEK 35.3K

$3,274 SEK 31.7K

11.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

1.9

74.21%

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

Last update for Stockholm: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varberg: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,773 in Stockholm versus $844 in Varberg. 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 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 $105 in Stockholm versus $80.0 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $368 – making Varberg 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 Varberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 62% more than Varberg, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,052 per month in Stockholm and $2,507 in Varberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 36% less in Varberg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $168 per month in Stockholm and $159 in Varberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varberg, where all-in costs run around $1,671, than in Stockholm at $2,701. In Varberg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Varberg costs $1,671 versus $2,701 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 Varberg. 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.