Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and Sweden

Name: Sweden
Address: SE

For one person, living is cheaper in Sweden: $1,917 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Sweden
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Sweden Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,917

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in Sweden

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in Sweden actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,734 per month in the United States vs $1,917 in Sweden, rent included.

United States $2,734
Sweden $1,917

A couple spends around $3,985 per month in the United States vs $2,943 in Sweden, rent included.

United States $3,985
Sweden $2,943

A family of three spends $5,235 per month in the United States vs $3,968 in Sweden, rent included.

United States $5,235
Sweden $3,968

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Sweden ($1,436–$2,531), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in the United States is about 43% higher than in Sweden on average.

Both the United States and Sweden are pricier than the global median – the United States by 101%, Sweden by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$14.63 SEK 144

36.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$80.6 SEK 791

-0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.98 SEK 108

7.47%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$4.66 SEK 45.69

19.10%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$2.72 SEK 26.65

-2.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.31 SEK 22.71

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.02 SEK 78.7

-23.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.41 SEK 72.8

7.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.66 SEK 16.31

-37.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.02 SEK 29.68

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.61 SEK 35.46

25.21%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$4.27 SEK 41.89

0.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$11.73 SEK 115

12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$11.54 SEK 113

9.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$18.86 SEK 185

-6.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.99 SEK 29.38

77.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.55 SEK 25.06

-33.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.97 SEK 29.10

49.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.34 SEK 42.59

9.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.71 SEK 16.75

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.58 SEK 15.54

99.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.41 SEK 23.67

-8.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.40 SEK 13.77

67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$7.92 SEK 77.7

38.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.97 SEK 108

37.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.99 SEK 19.49

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.05 SEK 20.13

84.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.75 SEK 36.76

-48.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$82.6 SEK 810

-28.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$6.16 SEK 60.5

-41.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.95 SEK 19.10

-3.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

$59.1 SEK 580

-49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.80 SEK 17.67

-43.33%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$32.9K SEK 323.1K

-12.67%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$33.9K SEK 332.9K

-22.75%

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

$218 $218

$131 SEK 1,285

66.50%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$26.75 SEK 263

133.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$38.08 SEK 374

95.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$39.21 SEK 385

6.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

$27.16 SEK 267

-16.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$14.88 SEK 146

-1.21%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$151 SEK 1,482

886.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$4,223 SEK 41.4K

497.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$93.6 SEK 919

-41.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

$42.42 SEK 416

0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$99.0 SEK 971

-4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$145 SEK 1,421

-21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$898 SEK 8,815

84.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$725 SEK 7,110

85.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$1,464 SEK 14.4K

83.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$1,168 SEK 11.5K

85.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

$5,168 SEK 50.7K

-36.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$3,366 SEK 33.0K

-26.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$3,056 SEK 30.0K

40.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

3.66

78.96%

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

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sweden: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Sweden

$725 37.8% 46.2% $623

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

Sweden

$363 18.9% 12.7% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Sweden

$196 10.2% 44.8% $159

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

Sweden

$281 14.7% 14.4% $47

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Sweden

$171 8.9% 24.7% $34

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

Sweden

$113 5.9% 41.6% $33

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

Sweden

$69 3.6% 3.2% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,620 in the United States vs $830 in Sweden. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,768 in Washington, DC and $1,614 in Stockholm.

Average salary: $4,549 in the United States vs $2,910 in Sweden. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 95% higher in the United States.

Public transport is 24% more expensive in Sweden.

Salaries are 56% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇸🇪 Sweden

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

13:18 1:18 PM

6 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

10,587,710

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 SEK = 10.19 USD

100 SEK = 9.13 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

SEK to USD in detail →

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Between locations

United States Sweden 7,440 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

United States
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 30% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $830 in Sweden.

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