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

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

A family of three spends $5,034 per month in United States vs $3,831 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 92%, Sweden by 33%.

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

$20.38 $20.38

$14.88 SEK 146

36.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 $79.0

$80.7 SEK 792

-2.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$11.18 SEK 110

5.37%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$4.70 SEK 46.13

15.32%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.86 SEK 28.09

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.35 SEK 23.10

-7.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$7.98 SEK 78.4

-26.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.65 SEK 75.1

4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.65 SEK 16.22

-36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.94 SEK 28.88

21.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$3.56 SEK 34.96

32.02%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$4.24 SEK 41.66

0.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$11.81 SEK 116

11.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$12.05 SEK 118

3.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.49 $17.49

$19.34 SEK 190

-9.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$3.16 SEK 31.02

64.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.60 SEK 25.57

-36.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.08 SEK 30.30

45.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$4.54 SEK 44.62

7.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.79 SEK 17.63

59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.63 SEK 16.01

90.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.34 SEK 23.00

-5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.42 SEK 13.91

64.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$7.89 SEK 77.6

31.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$11.26 SEK 111

35.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.03 SEK 19.99

4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.19 SEK 21.51

70.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.68 SEK 36.16

-33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$89.7 SEK 881

-27.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$6.12 SEK 60.1

-43.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.97 SEK 19.40

-3.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$61.8 SEK 607

-51.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.89 SEK 18.58

-45.50%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$33.5K SEK 329.5K

6.76%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$34.2K SEK 336.4K

-24.47%

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

$222 $222

$131 SEK 1,291

69.06%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$27.19 SEK 267

130.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$38.82 SEK 381

92.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.12 $45.12

$40.38 SEK 397

11.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 $23.13

$27.49 SEK 270

-15.86%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$16.32 SEK 160

-6.43%

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

$1,474 $1,474

$155 SEK 1,526

849.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$4,705 SEK 46.2K

430.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$94.6 SEK 930

-42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 $42.55

$42.36 SEK 416

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$102 SEK 1,002

-10.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$147 SEK 1,442

-22.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 $1,636

$863 SEK 8,483

89.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$694 SEK 6,821

96.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,701 $2,701

$1,434 SEK 14.1K

88.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,239 $2,239

$1,155 SEK 11.3K

93.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,267 $3,267

$5,217 SEK 51.3K

-37.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,651 $2,651

$3,320 SEK 32.6K

-20.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,317 $4,317

$3,033 SEK 29.8K

42.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

3.67

69.48%

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

Last update for United States: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sweden: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $4,521 in United States vs $2,985 in Sweden. 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

United States vs Sweden: 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.