Cost of Living Comparison Between Sweden and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Sweden and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,823 per month in Sweden vs $2,626 in United States, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,827 per month in Sweden vs $3,830 in United States, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,831 per month in Sweden vs $5,034 in United States, rent included.

The cost of living in Sweden is roughly 31% lower than in United States on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Sweden and United States are pricier than the global median – Sweden by 33%, United States by 92%.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($987–$5,200) than in Sweden ($1,437–$2,631), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 SEK 146

$20.38 $20.38

-26.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 SEK 792

$79.0 $79.0

2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 SEK 110

$11.78 $11.78

-5.09%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 46.13

$5.42 $5.42

-13.28%

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

$2.86 SEK 28.09

$2.75 $2.75

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 SEK 23.10

$2.17 $2.17

8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 SEK 78.4

$5.86 $5.86

36.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 SEK 75.1

$8.03 $8.03

-4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SEK 16.22

$1.04 $1.04

58.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 SEK 28.88

$3.56 $3.56

-17.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 SEK 34.96

$4.70 $4.70

-24.26%

Eggs

$4.24 SEK 41.66

$4.26 $4.26

-0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 116

$13.21 $13.21

-10.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.05 SEK 118

$12.42 $12.42

-2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 SEK 190

$17.49 $17.49

10.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 SEK 31.02

$5.21 $5.21

-39.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 25.57

$1.65 $1.65

57.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 SEK 30.30

$4.47 $4.47

-31.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 SEK 44.62

$4.86 $4.86

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 17.63

$2.86 $2.86

-37.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 16.01

$3.11 $3.11

-47.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 SEK 23.00

$2.22 $2.22

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SEK 13.91

$2.34 $2.34

-39.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 SEK 77.6

$10.41 $10.41

-24.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 SEK 111

$15.23 $15.23

-26.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.99

$2.13 $2.13

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.51

$3.74 $3.74

-41.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.68 SEK 36.16

$2.44 $2.44

50.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 SEK 881

$65.2 $65.2

37.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 SEK 60.1

$3.44 $3.44

77.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 SEK 19.40

$1.90 $1.90

3.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.8 SEK 607

$29.70 $29.70

108.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 SEK 18.58

$1.03 $1.03

83.50%

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

$33.5K SEK 329.5K

$35.8K $35.8K

-6.33%

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

$34.2K SEK 336.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

32.39%

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

$131 SEK 1,291

$222 $222

-40.85%

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

$27.19 SEK 267

$62.6 $62.6

-56.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.82 SEK 381

$74.6 $74.6

-47.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 SEK 397

$45.12 $45.12

-10.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.49 SEK 270

$23.13 $23.13

18.85%

Cinema Ticket

$16.32 SEK 160

$15.27 $15.27

6.88%

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

$155 SEK 1,526

$1,474 $1,474

-89.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,705 SEK 46.2K

$25.0K $25.0K

-81.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 SEK 930

$54.1 $54.1

74.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 SEK 416

$42.55 $42.55

-0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 SEK 1,002

$91.4 $91.4

11.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,442

$114 $114

28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 SEK 8,483

$1,636 $1,636

-47.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 SEK 6,821

$1,367 $1,367

-49.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 SEK 14.1K

$2,701 $2,701

-46.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 SEK 11.3K

$2,239 $2,239

-48.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,217 SEK 51.3K

$3,267 $3,267

59.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,320 SEK 32.6K

$2,651 $2,651

25.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,033 SEK 29.8K

$4,317 $4,317

-29.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.67

6.22

-41.00%

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

Last update for Sweden: September 15, 2026

Last update for United States: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $841 in Sweden vs $1,610 in United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,771 in Stockholm and $1,358 in Columbia, TN.

Average salary: $2,985 in Sweden vs $4,521 in United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 91% higher in United States.

Public transport is 196% more expensive in Sweden.

Salaries are 51% higher in United States.

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sweden is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 52% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sweden, contributing to the overall 52% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sweden, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Sweden is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.