🇸🇪 Sweden · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Stockholm? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
One-bed flat, first-hand regulated contract if you reach the front of the queueSEK 8,000–12,500 / month
Utilities and broadband, one personSEK 700–1,400 / month — heating and water are usually included in the rent
Groceries, one personSEK 3,200–4,800 / month
SL travelcard, all zones, 30 daysSEK 1,000–1,100 / month, with a reduced rate under 20 and over 65
Good to know
Population
≈1 million in the municipality; ≈2.5 million in the county (Stockholms län)
Languages
Swedish; English is spoken to a high standard almost universally and many workplaces operate entirely in it
Currency
Swedish krona (SEK) — Sweden is in the EU but not the euro
Time zone
CET (GMT+1), CEST (GMT+2) in summer
Power plug
Type C and F, 230 V, 50 Hz
Climate
Humid continental — cold snowy winters with about six hours of daylight in December, and mild summers with light until nearly midnight
Cash
Effectively a cashless city. Many shops, cafés and buses refuse cash outright, and a card or Swish is assumed
Built on
Fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic, with about a third of the municipal area water
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Stockholm checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Stockholm
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.