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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,044 per month in Uppsala vs $2,992 in Utrecht, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Uppsala vs $4,267 in Utrecht, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,295 per month in Uppsala vs $5,542 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 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.45 SEK 149

$22.86 €19.72

-32.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 SEK 811

$85.4 €73.7

-1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 SEK 101

$13.71 €11.83

-23.34%

Cappuccino

$5.22 SEK 50.3

$4.83 €4.17

8.07%

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

$3.22 SEK 31.05

$3.92 €3.38

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 24.10

$3.49 €3.01

-28.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 SEK 78.9

$7.68 €6.63

6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.33 SEK 99.5

$7.39 €6.37

39.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.38

$1.64 €1.41

10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.61

$2.95 €2.55

4.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 SEK 39.86

$2.58 €2.22

60.47%

Eggs

$5.29 SEK 51.0

$4.85 €4.18

9.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 SEK 106

$13.69 €11.81

-19.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.34 SEK 148

$14.45 €12.47

6.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 SEK 177

$19.44 €16.78

-5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 SEK 41.30

$2.95 €2.54

45.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.89

$2.57 €2.22

8.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 SEK 36.89

$2.18 €1.88

75.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 SEK 52.2

$3.84 €3.31

41.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.54

$1.79 €1.55

1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.64

$1.93 €1.67

-5.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 SEK 25.69

$1.64 €1.42

62.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.95

$1.44 €1.24

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 SEK 78.4

$15.39 €13.28

-47.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 SEK 99.5

$7.17 €6.18

44.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 24.82

$1.44 €1.24

79.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 SEK 26.44

$2.85 €2.46

-3.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 SEK 38.64

$3.76 €3.25

6.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 SEK 1,112

$141 €122

-18.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 SEK 53.8

$3.88 €3.35

43.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 SEK 13.40

$2.87 €2.47

-51.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.6 SEK 612

$47.52 €41.00

33.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.56

$2.63 €2.27

-30.80%

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

$34.1K SEK 328.6K

$42.3K €36.5K

-19.42%

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

$34.9K SEK 335.7K

$41.2K €35.5K

-15.34%

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

$115 SEK 1,108

$250 €215

-53.93%

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

$18.74 SEK 180

$21.86 €18.87

-14.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 SEK 444

$49.84 €43.01

-7.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.35 SEK 389

$46.75 €40.34

-13.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.00 SEK 241

$33.26 €28.70

-24.83%

Cinema Ticket

$19.72 SEK 190

$16.33 €14.09

20.76%

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

$134 SEK 1,294

$3,148 €2,716

-95.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,193 €7,070

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 SEK 908

$98.5 €85.0

-4.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 SEK 496

$52.6 €45.35

-2.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 SEK 953

$110 €95.2

-10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$212 SEK 2,037

$132 €114

60.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 SEK 9,102

$1,926 €1,662

-50.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 SEK 6,937

$1,531 €1,321

-52.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 SEK 17.6K

$3,285 €2,835

-44.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 SEK 11.2K

$2,323 €2,005

-49.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,485 SEK 52.8K

$7,283 €6,285

-24.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,680 SEK 25.8K

$4,976 €4,294

-46.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,063 SEK 29.5K

$4,525 €3,905

-32.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

3.21

22.74%

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

Last update for Uppsala: August 29, 2026

Last update for Utrecht: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $945 in Uppsala versus $1,926 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 48% 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 $84.0 in Uppsala versus $85.0 in Utrecht. Groceries tell a different story – $407 in Uppsala vs $366 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: $2,044 in Uppsala, $2,992 in Utrecht – roughly 46% apart. Utrecht costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,066 per month in Uppsala and $4,487 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 22% less in Uppsala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Uppsala and $3,148 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 $2,044, than in Utrecht at $2,992. 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 $2,044 in Uppsala to $2,992 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.