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Is it expensive to live in Sweden?

Price level, rents and everyday costs from Eurostat, SCB and Konsumentverket.

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Short answer

Living in Sweden costs more than the EU average, with Eurostat putting prices over 20 percent higher, and everyday costs come to about SEK 8,400 a month before housing. Average rent for a three-room apartment is SEK 9,528 a month in 2026, according to SCB. Inflation by the consumer price index was 1.1 percent in September 2026.

Budget and prices Illustration of a wallet with Swedish krona coins, a receipt and a price tag in front of a red house

Why

  1. According to Eurostat, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands had price levels more than 20 percent above the EU average.
  2. Konsumentverket calculates food for one adult aged 25 to 50 at SEK 2,730 a month and other individual costs at SEK 2,140, with shared household costs for one person at SEK 3,530.
  3. According to SCB, the average rent in 2026 is SEK 9,528 a month for a three-room apartment and SEK 10,600 in Greater Stockholm.

Details

The SEK 8,400 is the sum of Konsumentverket's three figures and leaves out housing, travel, dental care and medicine. According to Skatteverket, VAT is 25 percent on almost all goods and services, 12 percent in restaurants and 6 percent on food since 1 April 2026. SCB reports that the consumer price index rose 1.1 percent over the year to September 2026. Prices for visitors are in budget and prices in Sweden.

Tip

Compare the figures with your own income and housing costs, since Konsumentverket's tables leave out housing, travel, dental care and medicine. If you are moving, see working in Sweden with a British passport.

What may differ

How expensive it is depends on where you live: SCB reports that a household in a municipality with fewer than 75,000 residents pays about SEK 2,100 less a month for a three-room apartment than a household in Stockholm.

Common misconception

Sweden is the most expensive country in the EU.

What actually happens

According to Eurostat, Sweden is one of five countries with price levels more than 20 percent above the EU average, together with Denmark, Ireland, Finland and the Netherlands.

People also ask

  • Is Sweden expensive to live in?
  • How expensive is it to live in Sweden?
  • Is Sweden cheap to live in?

Sources

Prices and fees change, so check Konsumentverket, SCB and Eurostat before you plan your budget.

Budget and prices

  • How much money do you need per day in Sweden?

    A day in Sweden adds up from separate prices: an SL single ticket costs SEK 43, a 24-hour ticket SEK 180 and Vasa Museum entry SEK 195 to 240.

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  • How much does a pack of cigarettes cost in Sweden?

    The retail price of cigarettes in Sweden is set by the manufacturer and printed on the pack, and cigarettes may not be sold above that price, according to Skatteverket.

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  • How much does a public toilet cost in Sweden?

    Public toilets in Sweden are not always free: Stockholm's new city toilets cost SEK 10 and are paid by card, and Gothenburg's toilet buildings cost SEK 5.

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  • How much does it cost to live in Stockholm?

    A three-room apartment in Greater Stockholm costs SEK 10,600 a month on average in 2026, against SEK 9,528 nationally, according to SCB.

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