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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Västerås air quality: AQI 9 — excellent. Green space 35%. Compared to Västmanland cities in 2026.
Västerås air quality: AQI 9 — excellent. Green space 35%. Compared to Västmanland cities in 2026.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Västerås | 99 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 2 | Östersund | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 3 | Luleå | 96 | 7 600 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 4 | Visby | 100 | 8 200 kr | 347 000 kr |
| 5 | Falun | 93 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 6 | Umeå | 101 | 8 300 kr | 373 000 kr |
| 7 | Sundsvall | 93 | 7 400 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 8 | Växjö | 95 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 9 | Karlstad | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 10 | Jönköping | 96 | 7 900 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 11 | Gävle | 93 | 7 500 kr | 352 000 kr |
| 12 | Kalmar | 90 | 7 200 kr | 347 000 kr |
| 13 | Karlskrona | 90 | 6 900 kr | 341 000 kr |
| 14 | Örebro | 97 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 15 | Linköping | 102 | 8 700 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 16 | Uppsala | 114 | 10 400 kr | 405 000 kr |
| 17 | Halmstad | 104 | 8 700 kr | 383 000 kr |
| 18 | Eskilstuna | 96 | 7 700 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 19 | Lund | 112 | 9 700 kr | 400 000 kr |
| 20 | Stockholm | 136 | 13 200 kr | 440 000 kr |
Västerås: cost index 99 (-2 vs national avg 101), rent 8 000 kr/month.
Västmanland region average cost index: 101. Västerås is -2 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 68/100 — safety 68, healthcare 74, walkability 72.
Safety score: 68/100 (crime rate 58.2/1k). National average: 73/100.
Here's the surprising part: Västerås has a cost index of 99 — 2 points below the Sweden national average of 101. Median income is 362 000 kr with rent at 8 000 kr/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 27%. That's a strong position by any measure.
Zooming out, looking at Västmanland as a whole, the spread across all 24 cities is 9 points on the cost index. Malmö sits at the other end with index 108 and rent of 9 500 kr/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Västerås scores a composite score of 68/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (74), and walkability (72) metrics. And here's the trade-off: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
Västerås — cost index 99, rent 8 000 kr/mo, income 362 000 kr, QoL 68/100.
Östersund — cost index 94, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr, QoL 71/100.
Luleå — cost index 96, rent 7 600 kr/mo, income 378 000 kr, QoL 70/100.
Visby — cost index 100, rent 8 200 kr/mo, income 347 000 kr, QoL 70/100.
Falun — cost index 93, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr, QoL 70/100.
Västerås has a cost index of 99 (national avg: 101), rent 8 000 kr/mo, median income 362 000 kr/yr, and a quality of life score of 68/100.
The Västmanland region of average QoL score is 69/100. Västerås leads with 68/100, 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.
Västerås: cost index 99, rent 8 000 kr/mo, income 362 000 kr/yr, QoL 68/100. Östersund: cost index 94, rent 7 500 kr/mo, income 357 000 kr/yr, QoL 71/100.
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.