Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Varnamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Varnamo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,557 per month in Stockholm vs $1,803 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,865 per month in Stockholm vs $2,833 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,174 per month in Stockholm vs $3,863 in Varnamo, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 42% more than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stockholm and Varnamo sit above the global median – Stockholm by 92%, Varnamo by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 153

$12.77 SEK 121

26.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,049

$88.7 SEK 843

24.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 SEK 111

$11.98 SEK 114

-2.42%

Cappuccino

$5.04 SEK 47.86

$4.93 SEK 46.85

2.23%

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

$3.15 SEK 29.94

$2.87 SEK 27.24

9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.30

$2.13 SEK 20.21

20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 SEK 79.6

$8.03 SEK 76.3

4.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.63 SEK 82.0

$7.58 SEK 72.0

13.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SEK 17.03

$1.60 SEK 15.25

11.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.37

$2.16 SEK 20.55

57.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 SEK 37.56

$3.06 SEK 29.04

29.08%

Eggs

$4.68 SEK 44.49

$4.62 SEK 43.84

1.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 SEK 123

$12.84 SEK 122

0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.00 SEK 123

$11.69 SEK 111

11.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.07 SEK 181

$17.16 SEK 163

11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SEK 32.94

$3.21 SEK 30.47

8.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 27.46

$2.87 SEK 27.22

0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 SEK 32.48

$2.89 SEK 27.45

18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 SEK 43.94

$4.45 SEK 42.23

4.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 SEK 18.12

$1.74 SEK 16.49

9.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.63

$1.59 SEK 15.06

16.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.98

$2.55 SEK 24.27

3.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.34

$1.24 SEK 11.82

29.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.07 SEK 76.7

$7.84 SEK 74.5

2.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 SEK 117

$11.27 SEK 107

9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.16

$2.03 SEK 19.29

9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.58

$2.23 SEK 21.21

6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.50 SEK 42.75

$3.30 SEK 31.39

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 SEK 1,080

$73.4 SEK 697

54.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 SEK 59.3

$5.53 SEK 52.5

12.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.13

$2.53 SEK 24.08

-37.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 SEK 584

$63.9 SEK 607

-3.77%

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

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

-0.91%

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

$34.8K SEK 330.4K

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

1.62%

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

$227 SEK 2,152

$119 SEK 1,132

90.10%

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

$28.66 SEK 272

$29.16 SEK 277

-1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.65 SEK 405

$40.96 SEK 389

4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 SEK 445

$41.18 SEK 391

13.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.07 SEK 352

$25.42 SEK 242

45.83%

Cinema Ticket

$18.04 SEK 171

$18.14 SEK 172

-0.55%

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

$163 SEK 1,553

$176 SEK 1,674

-7.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,574 SEK 62.5K

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

58.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 SEK 912

$81.4 SEK 774

17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.89 SEK 474

$60.8 SEK 577

-17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,142

$104 SEK 991

15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 SEK 1,906

$128 SEK 1,217

56.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 SEK 15.2K

$852 SEK 8,094

87.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 SEK 10.4K

$665 SEK 6,320

64.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,742 SEK 26.1K

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

97.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 SEK 17.0K

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

63.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K SEK 110.3K

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

177.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,671 SEK 63.4K

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

129.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,505 SEK 33.3K

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

67.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.8

-13.33%

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

Last update for Stockholm: July 28, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,598 in Stockholm versus $852 in Varnamo. 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 68% 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 $89.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $355 – making Varnamo 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 Varnamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 42% more than Varnamo, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,704 in Varnamo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 55% less in Varnamo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Stockholm and $176 in Varnamo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Varnamo, where all-in costs run around $1,803, than in Stockholm at $2,557. In Varnamo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Varnamo costs $1,803 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 Varnamo. 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.