Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Vasteras Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Vasteras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,732 per month in Stockholm vs $1,918 in Vasteras, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Stockholm vs $2,919 in Vasteras, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,527 per month in Stockholm vs $3,920 in Vasteras, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 42% more than Vasteras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stockholm and Vasteras sit above the global median – Stockholm by 99%, Vasteras by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 SEK 176

$14.84 SEK 141

24.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 SEK 979

$67.0 SEK 638

53.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 SEK 109

$10.49 SEK 100

8.96%

Cappuccino

$5.35 SEK 51.0

$4.57 SEK 43.57

17.07%

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

$3.89 SEK 37.06

$2.44 SEK 23.22

59.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SEK 30.54

$2.22 SEK 21.17

44.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 SEK 80.6

$7.33 SEK 69.9

15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 SEK 87.6

$7.29 SEK 69.5

26.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.63

$1.47 SEK 14.00

18.37%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 SEK 39.74

$3.14 SEK 29.91

32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 SEK 38.99

$3.76 SEK 35.88

8.78%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 49.46

$4.21 SEK 40.11

23.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 126

$12.34 SEK 118

7.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 SEK 129

$13.49 SEK 129

0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 SEK 213

$23.27 SEK 222

-4.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 33.84

$3.25 SEK 30.98

9.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.34

$2.55 SEK 24.27

16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.26

$3.73 SEK 35.56

-15.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 44.77

$4.08 SEK 38.90

15.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.79

$1.49 SEK 14.16

25.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.19

$1.79 SEK 17.03

0.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.71

$2.24 SEK 21.34

11.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.71

$1.52 SEK 14.49

63.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 SEK 86.8

$7.47 SEK 71.3

21.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 SEK 121

$12.29 SEK 117

3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.45

$1.39 SEK 13.27

53.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.39

$2.22 SEK 21.14

15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 SEK 43.99

$3.41 SEK 32.53

35.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,075

$72.9 SEK 695

54.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 59.1

$3.56 SEK 33.90

74.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 14.59

$2.94 SEK 28.08

-47.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 SEK 564

$85.1 SEK 812

-30.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.38

$1.85 SEK 17.63

-1.62%

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

$34.5K SEK 328.8K

$34.6K SEK 329.4K

-0.20%

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

$35.1K SEK 334.9K

$34.8K SEK 331.3K

1.09%

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

$281 SEK 2,681

$188 SEK 1,788

49.96%

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

$22.69 SEK 216

$23.51 SEK 224

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.70 SEK 388

$45.39 SEK 433

-10.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 SEK 458

$34.95 SEK 333

37.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 395

$21.25 SEK 203

94.87%

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 SEK 189

$17.16 SEK 164

15.27%

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

$172 SEK 1,642

$156 SEK 1,484

10.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K SEK 160.6K

$5,175 SEK 49.3K

225.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 SEK 1,145

$110 SEK 1,045

9.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 SEK 551

$40.98 SEK 391

41.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 SEK 1,351

$90.0 SEK 859

57.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 SEK 1,933

$141 SEK 1,340

44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 SEK 17.0K

$769 SEK 7,328

132.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.4K

$620 SEK 5,916

76.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,323 SEK 31.7K

$1,400 SEK 13.3K

137.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 SEK 17.7K

$1,046 SEK 9,972

77.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K SEK 111.9K

$3,789 SEK 36.1K

209.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,611 SEK 63.0K

$2,552 SEK 24.3K

159.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,662 SEK 34.9K

$3,133 SEK 29.9K

16.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

3.53

-6.23%

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

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Last update for Vasteras: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,787 in Stockholm versus $769 in Vasteras. 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 17% 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 $103 in Stockholm versus $67.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $390 – making Vasteras 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 Vasteras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stockholm costs about 42% more than Vasteras, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,098 per month in Stockholm and $2,878 in Vasteras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vasteras, 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 Vasteras. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $172 per month in Stockholm and $156 in Vasteras. 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 Vasteras, where all-in costs run around $1,918, than in Stockholm at $2,732. In Vasteras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vasteras costs $1,918 versus $2,732 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 Vasteras. 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.