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 $1,826 in Sweden, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $2,827 in Sweden, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $3,828 in Sweden, rent included.

United States costs about 45% 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 36%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Sweden ($1,453–$2,505), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$14.55 SEK 138

37.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$85.6 SEK 810

-11.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$11.39 SEK 108

0.26%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$4.71 SEK 44.55

14.44%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.89 SEK 27.36

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.33 SEK 22.02

-12.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$7.95 SEK 75.2

-22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$7.96 SEK 75.4

-9.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.71 SEK 16.17

-39.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.12 SEK 29.53

16.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.73 SEK 35.27

26.81%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$4.37 SEK 41.33

0.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$12.24 SEK 116

4.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$12.47 SEK 118

-0.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$19.26 SEK 182

-14.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.15 SEK 29.80

72.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.72 SEK 25.72

-39.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.07 SEK 29.07

49.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.53 SEK 42.82

8.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.76 SEK 16.68

65.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.77 SEK 16.72

76.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.34 SEK 22.10

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.46 SEK 13.78

57.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$7.87 SEK 74.5

25.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$11.80 SEK 112

27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.06 SEK 19.48

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.26 SEK 21.39

61.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.73 SEK 35.34

-33.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$90.9 SEK 860

-28.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$6.23 SEK 59.0

-38.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.83 SEK 17.33

-3.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$62.9 SEK 595

-51.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.02 SEK 19.09

-52.48%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$33.2K SEK 314.2K

-8.20%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.0K SEK 331.6K

-24.74%

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

$204 $204

$126 SEK 1,193

61.87%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$28.71 SEK 272

99.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$38.37 SEK 363

85.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$42.25 SEK 400

10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$27.41 SEK 259

-19.30%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$16.92 SEK 160

-18.20%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$155 SEK 1,469

791.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$2,620 SEK 24.8K

766.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$92.7 SEK 877

-42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$42.34 SEK 401

1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$103 SEK 979

-12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$148 SEK 1,404

-22.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$944 SEK 8,934

87.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$740 SEK 7,004

97.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,580 SEK 14.9K

79.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$1,212 SEK 11.5K

98.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$5,503 SEK 52.1K

-40.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$3,605 SEK 34.1K

-26.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$3,258 SEK 30.8K

34.40%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sweden: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $870 in Sweden. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $1,589 in Stockholm.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $3,091 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 46% 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 62% 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 62% 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.