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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in Stockholm, Sweden (2026): cost index 136 (+35 vs national avg), rent 13 200 kr/mo, median income 440 000 kr/yr. Rent takes 36% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Stockholm peers below.
Cost of living in Stockholm, Sweden (2026): cost index 136 (+35 vs national avg), rent 13 200 kr/mo, median income 440 000 kr/yr. Rent takes 36% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Stockholm peers below.
Stockholm: cost index 136 (+35 vs national avg 101), rent 13 200 kr/month.
Stockholm region average cost index: 101. Stockholm is +35 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 66/100 — safety 72, healthcare 82, walkability 88.
Safety score: 72/100 (crime rate 58.3/1k). National average: 73/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockholm | 136 | 13 200 kr | 440 000 kr |
| 2 | Kalmar | 90 | 7 200 kr | 347 000 kr |
| 3 | Karlskrona | 90 | 6 900 kr | 341 000 kr |
| 4 | Falun | 93 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 5 | Gävle | 93 | 7 500 kr | 352 000 kr |
| 6 | Sundsvall | 93 | 7 400 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 7 | Karlstad | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 8 | Östersund | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 9 | Växjö | 95 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 10 | Norrköping | 96 | 8 100 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 11 | Jönköping | 96 | 7 900 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 12 | Luleå | 96 | 7 600 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 13 | Eskilstuna | 96 | 7 700 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 14 | Örebro | 97 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 15 | Västerås | 99 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 16 | Visby | 100 | 8 200 kr | 347 000 kr |
| 17 | Umeå | 101 | 8 300 kr | 373 000 kr |
| 18 | Linköping | 102 | 8 700 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 19 | Helsingborg | 103 | 9 000 kr | 368 000 kr |
| 20 | Halmstad | 104 | 8 700 kr | 383 000 kr |
Let's cut to what actually matters here. Stockholm has a cost index of 136 — 35 points above the Sweden national average of 101. Median income is 440 000 kr with rent at 13 200 kr/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 36%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
That said, looking at Stockholm as a whole, the spread across all 24 cities is 22 points on the cost index. Uppsala sits at the other end with index 114 and rent of 10 400 kr/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Stockholm scores a composite score of 66/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (88) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
Stockholm — cost index 136, rent 13 200 kr/mo, income 440 000 kr, QoL 66/100.
Kalmar — cost index 90, rent 7 200 kr/mo, income 347 000 kr, QoL 72/100.
Karlskrona — cost index 90, rent 6 900 kr/mo, income 341 000 kr, QoL 71/100.
Falun — cost index 93, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr, QoL 70/100.
Gävle — cost index 93, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 352 000 kr, QoL 69/100.
Stockholm has a cost index of 136 (national avg: 101). Median rent is 13 200 kr/month, median income 440 000 kr/year, giving a rent-to-income ratio of 36%.
The Stockholm region of average QoL score is 69/100. Stockholm leads with 66/100, 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.
Stockholm: cost index 136, rent 13 200 kr/mo, income 440 000 kr/yr, QoL 66/100. Kalmar: cost index 90, rent 7 200 kr/mo, income 347 000 kr/yr, QoL 72/100.
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.