Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Lund Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Lund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,972 in Uppsala versus $1,904 in Lund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,967 in Uppsala versus $3,030 in Lund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,962 in Uppsala versus $4,156 in Lund.

Living in Uppsala is roughly 4% more expensive than in Lund, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Uppsala 48% above, Lund 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.00 SEK 155
$12.55 SEK 121
27.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7 SEK 665
$85.3 SEK 826
-19.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 SEK 113
$12.20 SEK 118
-3.93%
Cappuccino
$4.89 SEK 47.37
$4.85 SEK 46.99
0.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 SEK 25.91
$2.81 SEK 27.17
-4.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 SEK 21.87
$2.05 SEK 19.83
10.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.31 SEK 80.5
$8.22 SEK 79.6
1.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.53 SEK 82.6
$7.32 SEK 70.9
16.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 SEK 15.81
$1.60 SEK 15.45
1.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 SEK 27.97
$2.21 SEK 21.37
30.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.67 SEK 45.21
$3.02 SEK 29.20
54.64%
Eggs
$5.19 SEK 50.2
$4.55 SEK 44.09
14.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.16 SEK 118
$13.12 SEK 127
-7.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.90 SEK 135
$11.78 SEK 114
18.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.40 SEK 168
$17.28 SEK 167
0.69%
Apples (1kg)
$3.89 SEK 37.69
$3.18 SEK 30.75
22.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.83 SEK 27.40
$2.77 SEK 26.86
2.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.61 SEK 34.94
$2.77 SEK 26.80
30.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.18 SEK 50.2
$4.55 SEK 44.01
13.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 SEK 16.10
$1.66 SEK 16.03
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 SEK 18.01
$1.58 SEK 15.27
17.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.70 SEK 26.17
$2.60 SEK 25.18
3.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 SEK 12.73
$1.27 SEK 12.31
3.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.15 SEK 78.9
$8.18 SEK 79.2
-0.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.44 SEK 101
$11.23 SEK 109
-7.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 SEK 23.88
$1.96 SEK 19.01
26.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 SEK 25.50
$2.24 SEK 21.67
17.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.17 SEK 40.38
$3.34 SEK 32.38
24.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$108 SEK 1,050
$67.4 SEK 653
60.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.64 SEK 54.6
$5.40 SEK 52.3
4.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 SEK 11.60
$1.88 SEK 18.24
-36.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$64.2 SEK 621
$63.0 SEK 610
1.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 SEK 19.26
$1.90 SEK 18.43
4.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.1K SEK 310.4K
$32.7K SEK 316.5K
-1.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K SEK 328.1K
$34.1K SEK 330.5K
-0.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 SEK 1,063
$122 SEK 1,181
-9.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.97 SEK 280
$28.99 SEK 281
-0.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.96 SEK 416
$41.22 SEK 399
4.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.06 SEK 378
$38.68 SEK 374
0.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.76 SEK 269
$24.09 SEK 233
15.23%
Cinema Ticket
$20.37 SEK 197
$18.17 SEK 176
12.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$145 SEK 1,406
$179 SEK 1,733
-18.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,535 SEK 53.6K
$4,129 SEK 40.0K
34.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 SEK 850
$80.3 SEK 778
9.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.63 SEK 403
$60.1 SEK 582
-30.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.6 SEK 964
$104 SEK 1,004
-3.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 SEK 1,517
$130 SEK 1,261
20.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$928 SEK 8,982
$981 SEK 9,498
-5.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$756 SEK 7,323
$763 SEK 7,383
-0.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,500 SEK 14.5K
$1,615 SEK 15.6K
-7.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 SEK 10.5K
$1,307 SEK 12.7K
-16.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,452 SEK 52.8K
$6,408 SEK 62.0K
-14.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 SEK 25.4K
$3,682 SEK 35.6K
-28.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uppsala
Lund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,066 SEK 29.7K
$2,972 SEK 28.8K
3.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.8
4.8
-

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

Last update for Uppsala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lund: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $928 in Uppsala and $981 in Lund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Uppsala pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Uppsala vs $85.0 in Lund. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $355, with Lund cheaper for home cooking.

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
Uppsala vs Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Uppsala or Lund?
Lund wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Uppsala. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lund the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Uppsala or in Lund?
Average pay runs 3% higher in Uppsala, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Uppsala compared to Lund?
Rent for a central apartment: $928 in Uppsala versus $981 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Uppsala compared to Lund?
All in, you'll spend $1,972 per month in Uppsala versus $1,904 in Lund – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Uppsala compared to Lund?
A monthly transit pass in Lund runs roughly 61% less than in Uppsala. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Uppsala or in Lund?
At $1,904 in Lund versus $1,972 in Uppsala, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lund but tight or insufficient in Uppsala. The gap between the two cities makes Lund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Uppsala or Lund?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lund delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,904 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lund hard to pass up.
How safe is Uppsala compared to Lund?
Safety-wise, Uppsala and Lund are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Uppsala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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