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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Västerås vs Gävle in 2026: cost index 95 vs 90, rent 7 500 kr vs 7 100 kr, income 345 000 kr vs 335 000 kr, QoL 69 vs 69.
Västerås vs Gävle in 2026: cost index 95 vs 90, rent 7 500 kr vs 7 100 kr, income 345 000 kr vs 335 000 kr, QoL 69 vs 69.
Västerås ranks #1 with a cost index of 95 and rent of 7 500 kr/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 93 (-4 vs national average of 97).
Average quality of life: 69/100. Top: Västerås at 69/100.
Safest city: Västerås (68/100 safety score).
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Västerås stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 95 and median income of 345 000 kr, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Sweden. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Västerås leads with a composite score of 69/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (74), and walkability (72) metrics. Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. 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. Västerås leads with 69/100, 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.
Västerås (ranked #1) has a cost index of 95 and rent of 7 500 kr/mo. Gävle (#2) has index 90 and rent 7 100 kr/mo — a 5-point gap.