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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Karlstad vs Luleå in 2026: cost index 90 vs 93, rent 7 000 kr vs 7 200 kr, income 340 000 kr vs 360 000 kr, QoL 72 vs 71.
Karlstad vs Luleå in 2026: cost index 90 vs 93, rent 7 000 kr vs 7 200 kr, income 340 000 kr vs 360 000 kr, QoL 72 vs 71.
Karlstad ranks #1 with a cost index of 90 and rent of 7 000 kr/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 92 (-5 vs national average of 97).
Average quality of life: 72/100. Top: Karlstad at 72/100.
Safest city: Luleå (82/100 safety score).
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Karlstad stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 90 and median income of 340 000 kr, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Sweden. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Karlstad leads with a composite score of 72/100 — reflecting its safety (76), healthcare (74), and walkability (70) metrics. That said, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 70/100. Karlstad leads with 72/100, reflecting its 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 (ranked #1) has a cost index of 90 and rent of 7 000 kr/mo. Luleå (#2) has index 93 and rent 7 200 kr/mo — a 3-point gap.