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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Average salary in Karlstad: 357 000 kr/year — 12 583 kr below the Sweden median. Cost index 94, purchasing power 379787/100. Compare incomes across Värmland below.
Average salary in Karlstad: 357 000 kr/year — 12 583 kr below the Sweden median. Cost index 94, purchasing power 379787/100. Compare incomes across Värmland below.
Karlstad: cost index 94 (-7 vs national avg 101), rent 7 500 kr/month.
Värmland region average cost index: 101. Karlstad is -7 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 71/100 — safety 76, healthcare 74, walkability 70.
Safety score: 76/100 (crime rate 44.5/1k). National average: 73/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karlstad | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 2 | Stockholm | 136 | 13 200 kr | 440 000 kr |
| 3 | Uppsala | 114 | 10 400 kr | 405 000 kr |
| 4 | Lund | 112 | 9 700 kr | 400 000 kr |
| 5 | Gothenburg | 112 | 10 100 kr | 395 000 kr |
| 6 | Halmstad | 104 | 8 700 kr | 383 000 kr |
| 7 | Malmö | 108 | 9 500 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 8 | Linköping | 102 | 8 700 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 9 | Luleå | 96 | 7 600 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 10 | Umeå | 101 | 8 300 kr | 373 000 kr |
| 11 | Helsingborg | 103 | 9 000 kr | 368 000 kr |
| 12 | Jönköping | 96 | 7 900 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 13 | Örebro | 97 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 14 | Västerås | 99 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 15 | Norrköping | 96 | 8 100 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 16 | Falun | 93 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 17 | Sundsvall | 93 | 7 400 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 18 | Växjö | 95 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 19 | Eskilstuna | 96 | 7 700 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 20 | Östersund | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Karlstad has a cost index of 94 — 7 points below the Sweden national average of 101. Median income is 357 000 kr with rent at 7 500 kr/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 25%. That's a strong position by any measure.
Here's where it gets complicated: looking at Värmland as a whole, the spread across all 24 cities is 4 points on the cost index. Karlskrona sits at the other end with index 90 and rent of 6 900 kr/mo. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Karlstad scores a composite score of 71/100 — reflecting its safety (76), healthcare (74), and walkability (70) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
Karlstad — cost index 94, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr, QoL 71/100.
Stockholm — cost index 136, rent 13 200 kr/mo, income 440 000 kr, QoL 66/100.
Uppsala — cost index 114, rent 10 400 kr/mo, income 405 000 kr, QoL 69/100.
Lund — cost index 112, rent 9 700 kr/mo, income 400 000 kr, QoL 70/100.
Gothenburg — cost index 112, rent 10 100 kr/mo, income 395 000 kr, QoL 68/100.
The median gross income in Karlstad is 357 000 kr/year — below the Sweden national average of 369 583 kr.
The Värmland region of average QoL score is 69/100. Karlstad leads with 71/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include SCB, Lantmäteriet, Skatteverket.
Karlstad: cost index 94, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr/yr, QoL 71/100. Stockholm: cost index 136, rent 13 200 kr/mo, income 440 000 kr/yr, QoL 66/100.
This analysis uses data from SCB, Lantmäteriet, Skatteverket to rank cities in Sweden. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.