Cost of Living in Sweden

A realistic guide to what it costs to live in Sweden, from rent and food to healthcare and driving licences.

All prices are approximate and were last checked in 2025. Costs vary depending on where in Sweden you live. Big cities such as Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo are generally more expensive than smaller municipalities.

    Salary & income

    SEK/month
    Entry-level salary (common jobs, before tax) 25 000 – 30 000 kr/mån
    Average salary in Sweden (before tax) 38 000 kr/mån
    Median salary in Sweden (before tax) 35 600 kr/mån
    Entry-level salary after tax (approx. 30%) 17 500 – 21 000 kr/mån
    Average salary after tax 26 600 kr/mån

    The tax rate varies between municipalities (28–35%). Salaries are higher in major cities but so is the cost of living. Sweden has no statutory minimum wage, wages are regulated through collective agreements.

    Housing

    Rent, 1-bedroom (small municipality) 3 500 – 5 500 kr/mån
    Rent, 1-bedroom (major city) 8 000 – 14 000 kr/mån
    Rent, 3-bedroom (small municipality) 5 500 – 8 000 kr/mån
    Rent, 3-bedroom (major city) 11 000 – 18 000 kr/mån
    Electricity (apartment, average) 500 – 1 500 kr/mån
    Broadband (fibre) 250 – 400 kr/mån
    Home insurance 150 – 350 kr/mån

    Food & groceries

    Food cost per month (1 person) 3 000 – 5 000 kr/mån
    Milk (1 litre) 14 – 18 kr
    Bread (loaf) 25 – 40 kr
    Chicken breast (1 kg) 80 – 120 kr
    Rice (1 kg) 20 – 35 kr
    Eggs (12-pack) 35 – 55 kr
    Lunch out (dish of the day) 120 – 170 kr
    Coffee at a café 40 – 60 kr

    Transport

    Monthly public transport pass 600 – 1 000 kr/mån
    Petrol (1 litre) 17 – 20 kr
    Diesel (1 litre) 18 – 22 kr
    Car insurance (comprehensive) 500 – 1 200 kr/mån
    Vehicle tax (average) 1 000 – 5 000 kr/år
    Vehicle inspection 400 – 500 kr/år
    Parking (major city, per month) 1 000 – 3 000 kr/mån

    Driving licence

    Driving licence total (driving school) 15 000 – 30 000 kr
    Driving lesson (80 min) 700 – 1 000 kr
    Theory test 325 kr
    Practical driving test 800 kr
    Learner's permit 150 kr
    Risk training (skid + alcohol) 2 500 – 4 000 kr

    Tip: You can practise driving privately with a supervisor and save thousands. EU/EEA driving licences are valid in Sweden, others may need to be retaken.

    Healthcare

    Doctor visit (health centre) 200 – 300 kr
    Specialist visit 400 kr
    Emergency room 400 kr
    High-cost protection (per 12 months) max 1 400 kr
    Dental care (examination) 800 – 1 200 kr
    Dental high-cost protection (per 12 months) Statligt stöd fr.o.m. 3 000 kr
    Prescription medicine (high-cost protection) max 2 850 kr/år
    Healthcare children (under 18/20 years) Free

    Sweden has a high-cost ceiling: once you have paid the cap above within 12 months, further visits are free. Children and young people have free healthcare in most regions. Note: the caps for healthcare, medicines and preschool are recalculated every year with the price base amount - the figures here were last checked in 2025 and may be slightly low. Current caps are published by your region and by the Social Insurance Agency.

    Children & education

    Preschool (max fee, 1 child) max 1 688 kr/mån
    Primary & secondary school Free
    School lunch Free
    University (EU/EEA citizens) Free
    University (non-EU/EEA) 80 000 – 295 000 kr/år
    SFI (Swedish for immigrants) Free

    Phone & mobile

    Mobile plan (data + calls) 149 – 399 kr/mån
    Prepaid card 100 – 200 kr/mån

    Leisure & entertainment

    Gym membership 250 – 500 kr/mån
    Cinema (1 ticket) 140 – 180 kr
    Streaming (Netflix/Spotify) 70 – 180 kr/mån
    Beer at a restaurant (40 cl) 70 – 95 kr
    Men's haircut 250 – 450 kr

    Clothing

    Jeans (H&M/Lindex) 400 – 700 kr
    Sneakers (Nike/Adidas) 800 – 1 500 kr
    Winter jacket 1 500 – 4 000 kr

    Tip: Second-hand shops (Myrorna, Emmaus, Tradera, Blocket) are popular and a great way to save money, especially on winter clothes.

    Household calculator: your monthly cost

    Based on your selections above.

    Other income & benefits

    SEK/month
    SEK/month

    Child benefit (SEK 1,250/child/month) is added automatically.

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