Cost of Living in Karlstad - Updated Prices & Insights

76.65

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $1,086 (excluding rent), and $1,787 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,683 (excluding rent), and $3,603 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 SEK 150

$7.42 SEK 70.1

$21.11 SEK 199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 SEK 654

$47.96 SEK 453

$181 SEK 1,712

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 SEK 103

$10.38 SEK 98

$13.53 SEK 128

Cappuccino

$4.78 SEK 45.19

$3.1 SEK 29.33

$5.6 SEK 52.9

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

$2.63 SEK 24.83

$1.15 SEK 10.91

$3.15 SEK 29.72

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SEK 19.95

$1.54 SEK 14.59

$2.99 SEK 28.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.2 SEK 77.4

$5.18 SEK 48.98

$9.24 SEK 87.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 78.5

$5.25 SEK 49.65

$11.57 SEK 109

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 SEK 13.56

$1.17 SEK 11.07

$3.19 SEK 30.17

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 26.83

$2.13 SEK 20.14

$4.59 SEK 43.34

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 SEK 37.2

$3.69 SEK 34.87

$5.1 SEK 48.17

Eggs

$4.63 SEK 43.77

$3.66 SEK 34.59

$6.21 SEK 58.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 SEK 114

$9.36 SEK 88.4

$13.77 SEK 130

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 SEK 132

$9.45 SEK 89.3

$17.85 SEK 169

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 SEK 158

$6.22 SEK 58.7

$51.8 SEK 489

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 SEK 28.41

$2.59 SEK 24.51

$4.15 SEK 39.18

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 25.02

$2.15 SEK 20.3

$4.3 SEK 40.6

Oranges (1kg)

$3.2 SEK 30.22

$2.63 SEK 24.86

$4.73 SEK 44.72

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 SEK 48.52

$2.66 SEK 25.11

$11.15 SEK 105

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.96

$1.03 SEK 9.69

$2.58 SEK 24.37

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SEK 16.28

$1.44 SEK 13.6

$2.07 SEK 19.52

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 SEK 24.51

$1.54 SEK 14.56

$4.73 SEK 44.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.52

$1.08 SEK 10.19

$3.79 SEK 35.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.57 SEK 71.5

$6.49 SEK 61.3

$8.44 SEK 79.8

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 SEK 96.8

$9.22 SEK 87.1

$13.02 SEK 123

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.45

$1.54 SEK 14.52

$3.07 SEK 29.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 16.12

$1.56 SEK 14.72

$3.12 SEK 29.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.19 SEK 30.13

$2.47 SEK 23.31

$3.3 SEK 31.14

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.9 SEK 793

$78.3 SEK 739

$86 SEK 813

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 SEK 54.4

$8.53 SEK 80.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 SEK 13.35

$4.28 SEK 40.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 SEK 599

$72.4 SEK 684

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.67

$1.86 SEK 17.53

$2.23 SEK 21.05

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

$32.5K SEK 307.2K

$40.5K SEK 382.6K

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

$34.7K SEK 327.4K

$38.8K SEK 366.9K

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

$108 SEK 1,017

$75.1 SEK 709

$160 SEK 1,507

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

$29.08 SEK 275

$10.39 SEK 98.2

$52.3 SEK 494

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.85 SEK 414

$32.11 SEK 303

$56.4 SEK 533

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.99 SEK 425

$41.49 SEK 392

$51.9 SEK 490

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 SEK 163

$16.73 SEK 158

$25.09 SEK 237

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 SEK 136

$14.16 SEK 134

$23.07 SEK 218

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

$147 SEK 1,392

$106 SEK 999

$175 SEK 1,649

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,183 SEK 30.1K

$535 SEK 5,055

$10.7K SEK 101.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 SEK 834

$63.6 SEK 601

$116 SEK 1,100

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 SEK 387

$20.8 SEK 197

$52 SEK 491

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 SEK 763

$78.1 SEK 738

$125 SEK 1,183

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,390

$84.1 SEK 795

$210 SEK 1,987

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 SEK 9,824

$624 SEK 5,894

$1,040 SEK 9,824

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 SEK 5,465

$526 SEK 4,968

$841 SEK 7,949

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 SEK 11.7K

$1,168 SEK 11K

$1,380 SEK 13K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 SEK 8,396

$836 SEK 7,902

$1,255 SEK 11.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,642 SEK 25K

$4,439 SEK 41.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 SEK 11.7K

$3,567 SEK 33.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,973 SEK 28.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.5

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

City tags:

🇪🇺 Europe

Cost of Living in Karlstad - Frequently Asked Questions

Compared with Sweden's largest cities, Karlstad offers a grounded, slower pace with accessible housing, varied dining, and reliable public services. Cost of Living in Karlstad, Sweden feels manageable for a daily routine built around lake life, cafés, and outdoor activities. You’ll find flexible housing options from central apartments to quieter edge neighborhoods, a transit network that supports biking and bus travel, and a strong cafe and coworking scene that suits digital nomads. Budget-conscious travelers often appreciate seasonal markets, secondhand shopping, and affordable yet seasonal meals. Tip: plan your stay around cultural events to maximize value without sacrificing quality.

From a practical standpoint, housing in Karlstad runs from contemporary city-center flats to quieter, family-friendly streets near the river. For meals, you’ll find a mix of casual eateries, cafés, and markets offering fresh produce and seasonal options. Public transport is straightforward, with buses linking neighborhoods and a network that supports easy bike commutes in milder months. You’ll also notice walkable cores with coworking hubs close to shops and services, making errands efficient. Understanding Karlstad, Sweden living cost helps you pick neighborhoods that balance access and peace, while keeping daily routines flexible for work or study. Tip: align grocery runs with market days to stretch your budget.

Quality of life in Karlstad bridges outdoor access, cultural life, and a sensible pace. A simple budgeting framework works well: separate housing, daily needs, and discretionary spend, then set a quarterly review to adjust as seasons shift. Save by cooking at home, shopping at local markets, and choosing flexible, short-term coworking spaces rather than long leases. Seasonality affects activities – summer evenings by the lake feel lively; winter invites cozy cafés and indoor fitness. Neighborhood fit depends on your rhythm: central zones for easy amenities, riverside and campus-adjacent areas for a student or remote-work vibe. Tip: build a weekly routine that blends nature, work, and social time.