Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Utrecht Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Utrecht

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,999 per month in Uppsala vs $2,947 in Utrecht, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,014 per month in Uppsala vs $4,160 in Utrecht, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,028 per month in Uppsala vs $5,373 in Utrecht, rent included.

Uppsala is about 32% cheaper than Utrecht, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Uppsala and Utrecht sit above the global median – Uppsala by 49%, Utrecht by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 SEK 148

$21.14 €18.20

-25.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 656

$87.5 €75.4

-20.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 SEK 107

$13.95 €12.01

-18.28%

Cappuccino

$5.00 SEK 47.00

$4.39 €3.78

13.90%

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

$2.67 SEK 25.05

$3.95 €3.40

-32.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 20.56

$3.15 €2.71

-30.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.39 SEK 78.8

$7.03 €6.06

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.66 SEK 81.4

$5.86 €5.04

47.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 15.33

$1.35 €1.16

20.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 SEK 25.83

$2.52 €2.17

9.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 SEK 42.59

$3.00 €2.59

51.00%

Eggs

$5.10 SEK 47.92

$5.39 €4.64

-5.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$14.04 €12.09

-15.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 SEK 131

$16.53 €14.24

-15.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 SEK 158

$17.40 €14.98

-3.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.09

$2.35 €2.02

59.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.21

$2.48 €2.14

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 SEK 33.51

$1.93 €1.66

84.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 48.69

$3.70 €3.19

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.94 €1.67

-18.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 16.81

$2.23 €1.92

-19.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.72

$1.36 €1.18

93.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.41

$1.13 €0.98

16.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 SEK 76.4

$14.32 €12.33

-43.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 SEK 102

$7.22 €6.21

49.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.62

$1.46 €1.26

65.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SEK 24.13

$2.67 €2.30

-3.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 SEK 37.63

$3.48 €3.00

15.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 SEK 1,023

$75.2 €64.7

44.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 53.4

$3.68 €3.17

54.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.17

$2.54 €2.19

-53.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 597

$26.59 €22.89

138.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.84

$2.27 €1.95

-11.45%

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

$33.2K SEK 311.7K

$39.8K €34.3K

-16.61%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.6K

$39.8K €34.3K

-15.11%

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

$111 SEK 1,040

$296 €255

-62.55%

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

$29.67 SEK 279

$26.03 €22.42

13.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 SEK 412

$46.51 €40.05

-5.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 SEK 358

$46.94 €40.42

-18.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.06 SEK 264

$23.19 €19.97

21.00%

Cinema Ticket

$19.76 SEK 186

$15.92 €13.71

24.12%

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

$149 SEK 1,400

$2,609 €2,247

-94.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,570 SEK 52.3K

$11.2K €9,630

-50.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 SEK 833

$115 €98.6

-22.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 SEK 394

$60.7 €52.2

-30.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SEK 927

$108 €92.7

-8.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,471

$130 €112

20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 SEK 8,862

$1,888 €1,626

-50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 SEK 7,087

$1,521 €1,310

-50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 SEK 14.1K

$2,826 €2,433

-46.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

$2,241 €1,930

-52.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,511 SEK 51.8K

$8,022 €6,908

-31.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,972 SEK 27.9K

$5,872 €5,057

-49.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,097 SEK 29.1K

$4,615 €3,974

-32.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.39

9.34%

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

Last update for Uppsala: May 31, 2026

Last update for Utrecht: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in Uppsala versus $1,888 in Utrecht. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 49% higher in Utrecht, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Uppsala versus $88.0 in Utrecht. Groceries tell a different story – $387 in Uppsala vs $358 in Utrecht – so Utrecht wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Utrecht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,999 in Uppsala, $2,947 in Utrecht – roughly 47% apart. Utrecht costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,999 per month in Uppsala and $4,420 in Utrecht. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Uppsala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Uppsala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Uppsala and $2,609 in Utrecht. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Uppsala, where all-in costs run around $1,999, than in Utrecht at $2,947. In Uppsala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Utrecht it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Utrecht has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,999 in Uppsala to $2,947 in Utrecht. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Uppsala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Utrecht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.