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Sweden Cost of Living 2026
๐ธ๐ช 2 cities in Sweden, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Sweden compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ธ๐ช GothenburgBig city ยท coast | $251 | $3,820 | kr140 | kr48 |
| ๐ธ๐ช StockholmBig city | $296 | $5,339 | kr150 | kr55 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Sweden
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ธ๐ช Gothenburg | kr80 | kr180 | kr1,300 | kr700 |
| ๐ธ๐ช Stockholm | kr85 | kr200 | kr1,600 | kr750 |
Sweden vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐จ๐พ Cyprus | $250 | $5,316 | -9% |
| ๐ช๐ธ Spain | $251 | $4,673 | -8% |
| ๐ซ๐ท France | $267 | $4,412 | -2% |
| ๐ธ๐ฎ Slovenia | $274 | $4,027 | 0% |
| ๐ธ๐ช Sweden | $274 | $4,580 | this country |
| ๐ฒ๐น Malta | $275 | $5,160 | +1% |
| ๐ญ๐ท Croatia | $279 | $3,980 | +2% |
| ๐ฉ๐ช Germany | $286 | $4,857 | +4% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Stockholm vs New York: item by item
| Item | Stockholm | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | kr150โ $14.4 | $20 | -28% |
| Coffee | kr55โ $5.29 | $6 | -12% |
| Beer | kr85โ $8.17 | $9 | -9% |
| 5 km taxi | kr200โ $19.2 | $23 | -16% |
| Hotel night | kr1,600โ $154 | $270 | -43% |
| 1-bed rent | kr15,000โ $1,442 | $3,300 | -56% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Stockholm $296 vs New York $467 โ about 37% cheaper.
Compare Sweden with other cities
Money tips for Sweden
Paying
Cards and mobile pay are nearly universal; many places refuse cash.
Tipping
Service is included; rounding up is plenty.
Menu prices
Prices include tax and service; alcohol is especially expensive.
Getting around
Buy transit tickets by app or contactless; cycling is great.
Haggling
No haggling, except at flea markets.
Water
Tap water is safe to drink.
Common rip-offs
Rare. Alcohol and eating out are what blow the budget.
Sweden travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | Very easy 1.4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Gothenburg | Easy 1.6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Sweden?
With a mid-range room, between $251 and $296 a day depending on the city โ about $274 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Sweden cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $3,820โ$5,339 by city, about $4,580 on average.
Which city in Sweden is cheapest?
By daily budget, Gothenburg ($251/day) is the cheapest and Stockholm ($296/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Sweden?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Cyprus runs about $250 a day โ 9% less than Sweden (about $274).
Is Sweden cheaper than New York?
In Stockholm, a traveler's day runs about $296 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 37% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.