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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,501 per month in Stockholm vs $1,841 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,835 per month in Stockholm vs $2,819 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,169 per month in Stockholm vs $3,796 in Varnamo, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 36% more than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stockholm and Varnamo sit above the global median – Stockholm by 86%, Varnamo by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.55 SEK 146

$12.64 SEK 119

23.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 SEK 1,056

$88.6 SEK 831

27.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 SEK 110

$11.82 SEK 111

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$5.07 SEK 47.56

$4.89 SEK 45.83

3.68%

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

$3.18 SEK 29.78

$2.90 SEK 27.24

9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SEK 23.62

$2.14 SEK 20.08

17.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.59 SEK 80.6

$8.11 SEK 76.1

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.32 SEK 78.1

$7.21 SEK 67.6

15.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 16.88

$1.61 SEK 15.06

11.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 SEK 32.23

$2.21 SEK 20.77

55.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.45

$2.96 SEK 27.79

34.80%

Eggs

$4.69 SEK 43.96

$4.44 SEK 41.61

5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 SEK 119

$13.09 SEK 123

-3.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.20 SEK 124

$11.54 SEK 108

14.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.66 SEK 184

$17.41 SEK 163

12.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.94

$3.17 SEK 29.70

14.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 26.95

$2.89 SEK 27.10

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 SEK 33.08

$2.82 SEK 26.47

25.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 SEK 41.94

$4.31 SEK 40.44

3.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 SEK 18.67

$1.67 SEK 15.71

19.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 SEK 16.96

$1.58 SEK 14.86

14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 SEK 23.49

$2.64 SEK 24.78

-5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.51

$1.28 SEK 12.02

21.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SEK 74.5

$7.86 SEK 73.7

1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 SEK 120

$11.90 SEK 112

7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.04

$1.94 SEK 18.22

10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 SEK 22.09

$2.22 SEK 20.81

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.52 SEK 42.36

$3.29 SEK 30.82

37.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,063

$73.2 SEK 687

54.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 SEK 59.6

$5.66 SEK 53.1

12.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.39

$2.57 SEK 24.09

-36.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 587

$62.9 SEK 590

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.07

$1.95 SEK 18.25

-6.67%

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

$32.1K SEK 301.3K

$33.2K SEK 311.5K

-3.28%

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

$34.8K SEK 326.4K

$34.1K SEK 319.6K

2.12%

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

$225 SEK 2,108

$122 SEK 1,143

84.53%

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

$28.52 SEK 268

$28.28 SEK 265

0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.74 SEK 392

$41.20 SEK 387

1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.32 SEK 444

$40.64 SEK 381

16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.97 SEK 356

$25.11 SEK 236

51.21%

Cinema Ticket

$17.82 SEK 167

$17.74 SEK 166

0.45%

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

$164 SEK 1,542

$174 SEK 1,635

-5.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,429 SEK 60.3K

$4,125 SEK 38.7K

55.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.9 SEK 899

$78.6 SEK 737

22.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 SEK 462

$60.7 SEK 569

-18.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 SEK 1,092

$104 SEK 977

11.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,910

$131 SEK 1,225

55.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 SEK 14.9K

$852 SEK 7,988

86.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 SEK 10.5K

$645 SEK 6,047

73.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,737 SEK 25.7K

$1,375 SEK 12.9K

99.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,793 SEK 16.8K

$1,070 SEK 10.0K

67.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K SEK 111.6K

$4,312 SEK 40.4K

175.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,717 SEK 63.0K

$3,016 SEK 28.3K

122.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,731 SEK 35.0K

$2,115 SEK 19.8K

76.42%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,591 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 76% 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 $113 in Stockholm versus $89.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 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 36% 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 $3,752 per month in Stockholm and $2,762 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 $164 per month in Stockholm and $174 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 $1,841, than in Stockholm at $2,501. 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 $1,841 versus $2,501 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.