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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Sweden for 2026. Umeå leads with a cost index of 101 and rent of 8 300 kr/month.
Ranking of cities in Sweden for 2026. Umeå leads with a cost index of 101 and rent of 8 300 kr/month.
Umeå: cost index 101 (0 vs national avg 101), rent 8 300 kr/month.
Västerbotten region average cost index: 99. Umeå is +2 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 71/100 — safety 79, healthcare 82, walkability 72.
Safety score: 79/100 (crime rate 38.4/1k). National average: 73/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umeå | 101 | 8 300 kr | 373 000 kr |
| 2 | Eskilstuna | 96 | 7 700 kr | 357 000 kr |
One stat flips the usual narrative: Umeå has a cost index of 101 — 0 points below the Sweden national average of 101. Median income is 373 000 kr with rent at 8 300 kr/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 27%. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Umeå scores a composite score of 71/100 — reflecting its safety (79), healthcare (82), and walkability (72) metrics. But here's the flip side: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
Umeå — cost index 101, rent 8 300 kr/mo, income 373 000 kr, QoL 71/100.
Eskilstuna — cost index 96, rent 7 700 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr, QoL 67/100.
Umeå has a cost index of 101 (national avg: 101), rent 8 300 kr/mo, median income 373 000 kr/yr, and a quality of life score of 71/100.
The Västerbotten region of average QoL score is 69/100. Umeå 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.
Umeå: cost index 101, rent 8 300 kr/mo, income 373 000 kr/yr, QoL 71/100. Eskilstuna: cost index 96, rent 7 700 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr/yr, QoL 67/100.
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.