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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Sweden for 2026. Linköping leads with a cost index of 98 and rent of 8 200 kr/month.
Ranking of cities in Sweden for 2026. Linköping leads with a cost index of 98 and rent of 8 200 kr/month.
Linköping ranks #1 with a cost index of 98 and rent of 8 200 kr/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 103 (+6 vs national average of 97).
Average quality of life: 71/100. Top: Linköping at 72/100.
Safest city: Linköping (75/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linköping | 98 | 8 200 kr | 360 000 kr |
| 2 | Gothenburg | 108 | 9 500 kr | 375 000 kr |
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Linköping stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 98 and median income of 360 000 kr, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Linköping leads with a composite score of 72/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (80), and walkability (78) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
Linköping — cost index 98, rent 8 200 kr/mo, income 360 000 kr, QoL 72/100.
Gothenburg — cost index 108, rent 9 500 kr/mo, income 375 000 kr, QoL 69/100.
The country average QoL score is 70/100. Linköping 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.
Linköping (ranked #1) has a cost index of 98 and rent of 8 200 kr/mo. Gothenburg (#2) has index 108 and rent 9 500 kr/mo — a 10-point gap.
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.