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

Name: Sweden
Address: SE

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $1,832 in Sweden, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $2,830 in Sweden, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,071 per month in United States vs $3,827 in Sweden, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 44% higher than in Sweden on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and Sweden are pricier than the global median – United States by 98%, Sweden by 37%.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($1,341–$5,102) than in Sweden ($1,471–$2,542), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 $20.02

$15.05 SEK 146

33.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 $74.7

$85.9 SEK 833

-13.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 $11.67

$11.15 SEK 108

4.66%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$4.84 SEK 46.95

9.50%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$2.88 SEK 27.97

-13.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.39 SEK 23.20

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 $5.82

$7.76 SEK 75.3

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$7.83 SEK 76.0

-11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.67 SEK 16.22

-35.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.09 SEK 29.93

17.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.72 SEK 36.10

25.81%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$4.35 SEK 42.13

-2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 $13.07

$11.88 SEK 115

10.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$12.52 SEK 121

-0.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 $16.12

$18.95 SEK 184

-14.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$3.25 SEK 31.48

62.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.81 SEK 27.27

-40.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.18 SEK 30.83

41.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$4.42 SEK 42.87

13.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.75 SEK 16.93

69.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.76 SEK 17.09

79.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.40 SEK 23.30

-9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.45 SEK 14.02

57.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$8.05 SEK 78.1

25.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$11.44 SEK 111

33.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.08 SEK 20.15

-6.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.25 SEK 21.85

57.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.84 SEK 37.27

-36.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 $65.0

$91.6 SEK 889

-29.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$6.29 SEK 61.0

-38.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.91 SEK 18.56

-10.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.30 $30.30

$63.6 SEK 617

-52.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.99 SEK 19.28

-55.78%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$32.5K SEK 315.5K

-8.68%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$33.7K SEK 326.6K

-21.34%

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

$204 $204

$130 SEK 1,256

57.79%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$28.75 SEK 279

99.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$39.16 SEK 380

80.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.43 $45.43

$42.39 SEK 411

7.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.15 $22.15

$27.24 SEK 264

-18.69%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$16.82 SEK 163

-15.93%

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

$1,373 $1,373

$152 SEK 1,478

800.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$2,648 SEK 25.7K

766.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$92.5 SEK 897

-44.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.10 $43.10

$41.14 SEK 399

4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 $90.1

$104 SEK 1,011

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$145 SEK 1,410

-20.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$929 SEK 9,009

83.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 $1,451

$730 SEK 7,082

98.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 $2,834

$1,566 SEK 15.2K

81.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,365 $2,365

$1,186 SEK 11.5K

99.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,338 $3,338

$5,273 SEK 51.1K

-36.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,570 $2,570

$3,425 SEK 33.2K

-24.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,326 $4,326

$3,069 SEK 29.8K

40.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.52

44.03%

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

Last update for United States: July 19, 2026

Last update for Sweden: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $864 in Sweden. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,604 in Washington, MI and $1,588 in Stockholm.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $2,966 in Sweden. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 89% higher in United States.

Public transport is 208% more expensive in Sweden.

Salaries are 52% 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

United States vs Sweden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sweden is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 61% 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 61% 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.