Cost of Living Comparison Between Sweden and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Sweden and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,823 in Sweden versus $363 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,827 in Sweden versus $575 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,831 in Sweden versus $786 in India.

Living in Sweden is roughly 402% more expensive than in India on average.

Sweden (33% above) and India (73% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Sweden: monthly costs span $1,437 to $2,631, compared to $230$823 in India. City choice carries more weight in Sweden.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sweden
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.88 SEK 146
$2.11 ₹202
605.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.7 SEK 792
$10.62 ₹1,019
659.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.18 SEK 110
$3.62 ₹348
208.84%
Cappuccino
$4.70 SEK 46.13
$1.65 ₹159
184.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 SEK 28.09
$0.38 ₹36.28
652.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 SEK 23.10
$0.14 ₹13.46
1578.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.98 SEK 78.4
$1.86 ₹179
329.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.65 SEK 75.1
$3.22 ₹309
137.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sweden
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 SEK 16.22
$0.68 ₹65.0
142.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 SEK 28.88
$0.49 ₹47.28
500.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.56 SEK 34.96
$0.66 ₹63.3
439.39%
Eggs
$4.24 SEK 41.66
$0.87 ₹83.6
387.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.81 SEK 116
$4.76 ₹456
148.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.05 SEK 118
$2.79 ₹267
331.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.34 SEK 190
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 SEK 31.02
$1.96 ₹188
61.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.60 SEK 25.57
$0.68 ₹65.3
282.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.08 SEK 30.30
$0.95 ₹90.8
224.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.54 SEK 44.62
$0.50 ₹48.31
808.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 SEK 17.63
$0.34 ₹32.37
426.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 SEK 16.01
$0.38 ₹36.89
328.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 SEK 23.00
$0.45 ₹42.90
420.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 SEK 13.91
$0.31 ₹29.82
358.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.89 SEK 77.6
$5.10 ₹489
54.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.26 SEK 111
$7.13 ₹684
57.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 SEK 19.99
$1.70 ₹163
19.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 SEK 21.51
$2.67 ₹256
-17.98%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.12 ₹491
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sweden
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.68 SEK 36.16
$0.27 ₹26.10
1262.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.7 SEK 881
$8.56 ₹821
948.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.12 SEK 60.1
$0.90 ₹86.7
580.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.97 SEK 19.40
$0.25 ₹23.70
688.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.8 SEK 607
$1.62 ₹155
3713.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 SEK 18.58
$1.07 ₹102
76.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K SEK 329.5K
$12.5K ₹1.2M
168.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2K SEK 336.4K
$19.6K ₹1.9M
74.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sweden
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 SEK 1,291
$37.89 ₹3,635
246.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.19 SEK 267
$3.61 ₹346
653.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.82 SEK 381
$6.92 ₹664
460.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sweden
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.38 SEK 397
$14.49 ₹1,390
178.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.49 SEK 270
$7.15 ₹686
284.48%
Cinema Ticket
$16.32 SEK 160
$3.15 ₹302
418.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sweden
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$155 SEK 1,526
$57.2 ₹5,485
171.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,705 SEK 46.2K
$1,669 ₹160.1K
181.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sweden
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.6 SEK 930
$22.52 ₹2,161
320.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.36 SEK 416
$24.70 ₹2,369
71.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 SEK 1,002
$40.36 ₹3,872
152.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147 SEK 1,442
$30.64 ₹2,939
379.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sweden
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$863 SEK 8,483
$146 ₹14.0K
493.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$694 SEK 6,821
$89.2 ₹8,557
678.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,434 SEK 14.1K
$334 ₹32.0K
329.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,155 SEK 11.3K
$214 ₹20.5K
440.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,217 SEK 51.3K
$1,206 ₹115.7K
332.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,320 SEK 32.6K
$613 ₹58.8K
441.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sweden
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,033 SEK 29.8K
$435 ₹41.7K
596.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.67
8.93
-58.90%

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

Last update for Sweden: September 15, 2026

Last update for India: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $841 in Sweden, $119 in India. Capital cities: $1,771 in Stockholm vs $270 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $2,985 in Sweden, $405 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 607% higher in Sweden.

Dining out costs 690% more in Sweden.

Public transport is 1043% more expensive in Sweden.

Salaries are 637% higher in Sweden, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Sweden.

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
Sweden vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Sweden?
At $527 per month in India and $2,034 in Sweden, there's a 286% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Sweden is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Sweden?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Sweden it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Sweden?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Sweden may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Sweden vs other spots: cost of living compared

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