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 $2,645 per month in United States vs $1,833 in Sweden, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,858 per month in United States vs $2,828 in Sweden, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,071 per month in United States vs $3,823 in Sweden, rent included.

United States costs about 44% more than 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 97%, Sweden by 37%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,335–$5,185) than Sweden ($1,480–$2,580), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$14.59 SEK 134

39.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$82.7 SEK 761

-10.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$11.35 SEK 104

1.94%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$4.75 SEK 43.68

12.42%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$2.77 SEK 25.45

-9.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.37 SEK 21.83

-11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$7.93 SEK 72.9

-24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$7.85 SEK 72.2

-10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.72 SEK 15.81

-36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.99 SEK 27.48

19.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.76 SEK 34.62

26.33%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$4.51 SEK 41.49

-5.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$12.17 SEK 112

7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$12.47 SEK 115

-1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.03 $16.03

$19.01 SEK 175

-15.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.25 SEK 29.87

64.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.81 SEK 25.86

-38.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.23 SEK 29.69

40.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.36 SEK 40.14

13.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.84 SEK 16.95

58.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.77 SEK 16.25

71.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.44 SEK 22.43

-8.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.47 SEK 13.51

53.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$7.98 SEK 73.4

26.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$12.18 SEK 112

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.03 SEK 18.65

-4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.24 SEK 20.57

56.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.72 SEK 34.24

-31.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 $65.8

$90.9 SEK 837

-27.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

$6.48 SEK 59.7

-41.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.89 SEK 17.41

-10.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$64.3 SEK 592

-53.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.01 SEK 18.49

-55.22%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$33.1K SEK 304.9K

-8.03%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$34.2K SEK 314.3K

-22.86%

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

$205 $205

$126 SEK 1,159

62.44%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$28.46 SEK 262

100.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$39.07 SEK 359

82.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.76 $45.76

$41.54 SEK 382

10.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 $22.31

$27.58 SEK 254

-19.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$17.15 SEK 158

-19.01%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$157 SEK 1,445

778.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K $22.5K

$2,591 SEK 23.8K

766.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$94.4 SEK 868

-43.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 $42.81

$41.12 SEK 378

4.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$102 SEK 937

-12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$146 SEK 1,346

-22.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 $1,742

$936 SEK 8,614

86.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

$743 SEK 6,837

92.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 $2,864

$1,620 SEK 14.9K

76.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 $2,422

$1,208 SEK 11.1K

100.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,466 $3,466

$6,186 SEK 56.9K

-43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$3,845 SEK 35.4K

-31.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,320 $4,320

$3,362 SEK 30.9K

28.52%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Sweden: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,634 in United States vs $867 in Sweden. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,570 in Washington, DC and $1,562 in Stockholm.

Average salary: $4,489 in United States vs $3,129 in Sweden. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 88% higher in United States.

Public transport is 208% more expensive in Sweden.

Salaries are 43% 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.