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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,582 per month in Stockholm vs $1,759 in Vasteras, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in Stockholm vs $2,796 in Vasteras, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,098 per month in Stockholm vs $3,833 in Vasteras, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 47% more than Vasteras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stockholm and Vasteras sit above the global median – Stockholm by 93%, Vasteras by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 156

$14.94 SEK 145

7.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,067

$68.2 SEK 660

61.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 SEK 113

$10.55 SEK 102

10.71%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SEK 50.3

$4.66 SEK 45.12

11.59%

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

$3.28 SEK 31.79

$2.72 SEK 26.32

20.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.89

$2.48 SEK 23.97

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 82.4

$7.51 SEK 72.7

13.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 80.5

$7.36 SEK 71.3

12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.41

$1.53 SEK 14.77

17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.99

$2.64 SEK 25.55

29.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 SEK 39.38

$3.79 SEK 36.69

7.39%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 45.54

$3.89 SEK 37.66

20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 SEK 124

$12.12 SEK 117

5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 128

$12.46 SEK 121

6.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 SEK 188

$15.76 SEK 153

23.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 SEK 34.83

$3.31 SEK 32.00

8.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.06

$2.62 SEK 25.40

10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 32.69

$3.61 SEK 34.98

-6.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 SEK 44.42

$3.64 SEK 35.26

26.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 19.01

$1.56 SEK 15.06

25.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 18.25

$1.93 SEK 18.72

-2.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 24.35

$2.76 SEK 26.76

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.63

$1.66 SEK 16.09

-3.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.0

$7.40 SEK 71.6

8.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 SEK 121

$12.48 SEK 121

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.18

$1.39 SEK 13.48

57.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 SEK 22.87

$1.95 SEK 18.92

21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 SEK 44.09

$3.32 SEK 32.11

37.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 SEK 1,085

$73.1 SEK 707

53.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 SEK 61.9

$3.75 SEK 36.28

70.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 16.03

$1.59 SEK 15.36

4.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.3 SEK 613

$82.9 SEK 803

-23.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 18.00

$1.98 SEK 19.22

-6.06%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.8K

$33.0K SEK 319.3K

0.16%

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

$34.5K SEK 334.4K

$34.0K SEK 329.5K

1.50%

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

$227 SEK 2,200

$88.6 SEK 857

156.54%

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

$29.59 SEK 287

$28.38 SEK 275

4.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.03 SEK 407

$36.74 SEK 356

14.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 SEK 445

$36.70 SEK 355

25.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.09 SEK 369

$21.36 SEK 207

78.32%

Cinema Ticket

$17.78 SEK 172

$19.33 SEK 187

-8.02%

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

$164 SEK 1,590

$157 SEK 1,524

4.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 SEK 63.6K

$5,227 SEK 50.6K

25.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 SEK 945

$95.5 SEK 925

2.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.76 SEK 482

$41.96 SEK 406

18.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,165

$90.9 SEK 880

32.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 SEK 1,954

$123 SEK 1,187

64.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 SEK 15.2K

$815 SEK 7,894

92.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$604 SEK 5,849

79.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 SEK 26.7K

$1,480 SEK 14.3K

86.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

$1,133 SEK 11.0K

58.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 113.9K

$3,787 SEK 36.7K

210.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.9K

$2,478 SEK 24.0K

162.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,643 SEK 35.3K

$3,016 SEK 29.2K

20.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

4.87

-14.58%

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

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Last update for Vasteras: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Stockholm versus $815 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 21% 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 $68.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $359 – 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 47% 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 $3,873 per month in Stockholm and $2,638 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 53% less in Vasteras. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $164 per month in Stockholm and $157 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 $1,759, than in Stockholm at $2,582. 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 $1,759 versus $2,582 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.