Cost of Living in Stockholm

To Anynymyous post on June 8th 2025:

Hi there!

If your monthly income is 27,000 SEK and your rent is 5,000 SEK, you're in a pretty decent spot by Stockholm standards. That leaves you with around 22,000 SEK after rent, which is a healthy amount for covering food, transport, insurance, entertainment, and savings.

Of course, your lifestyle and spending habits will make a difference, but generally speaking, this income should allow you to live comfortably, especially if you're single and don't have major financial obligations.

Also, a 5k rent for a studio in Stockholm is quite low—nice find! Make sure it's not too far out or missing key amenities.

Hope this helps,and best luck of settiling in!

imagin that lots of blonde girl married islam guy and black people.

What should be the expected salary for a CFO (mid company) in Sweden? 2 Mio SEK fix + 0-40% variable p.a. - is it reasonable?
Thanks!

Aim to get an expat contract that pays for your housing, car, relocation package and the first 2-3 years of your taxes, which is the common practice for top managers (regional managers) in multinational companies (Phillips, Unilever, Roche, P&G, Philip Morris...). After that, you pay taxes like a local. Companies offering expat contracts to top executives may also pay for your children's schools whether the Stockholm International School or the British International School. Both are really good, fully in English and you get a great social network meeting the other parents (other top managers, local business men, diplomats, and some local celebrities). Stockholm is a wonderful place with a very active and welcoming expat community stemming out of these schools.

As an expat living in Stockholm for about half a year now, I tend to agree with the general sentiment in the comments: Stockholm is not expat-friendly in terms of cost of living. However, looking at other places, Stockholm seems to be doing OK-ish in comparison. It just seems that COL has skyrocketed across all developed nations, so Stockholm no longer stands out. Several years ago you could live in Portugal for a fraction of Stockholm's costs, now it's like 30% cheaper, but adjusted for local salary levels, infrastructure quality and other factors it's not that big a bargain.

I think the idea of moving into a first world country, finding a simple white collar job and supporting high standard of living for your family can be considered a thing of the past. You can still do it, but not in Western countries.

As many have said before, don't expect high salaries in engineering jobs in Sweden. I mean... they may seem to be high, but here the range of salaries is quite narrow. So even if you earn say 45-50k gross you will be getting less than double the salary of a cleaning lady (and this means that the majority of society has similar budget which drives prices upward).
And forget about having a car. It's basically like burning banknotes in a fireplace because of taxes, gas prices, parking fees and insurance.

So 45k is pretty much for STHLM but dont expect to have a luxurious life with such salary.

All people complaining are either right-winged or economic migrant morons that care only about their own pockets and not the society where they live

I moved to Stockholm during 2020 with a child and I work as senior electronic engineer. I earn 6kSek per month (around 4k net wage) and I pay 1400Sek (rent+consumptions) per month in Södermalm for a 40 sqm apartment. Life cost is comparable to that I experienced in Germany, North Italy and South France, where I lived previously. Rent an apartment is difficult, because of shortage, and problably it was easier during pandemic. I'm happy of education system and I receive a child allowance (barnbidrag) tax free.

Dont move to Stockholm please, despite the high GDP of Sweden, its an extremely poor place in reality, listen to me first. Even if you are a senior software engineer you will only make like 45,000 SEK per month before taxes, after taxes around 34,000 SEK. Right now even 1 BR apartments go for 20-25k because there is a big shortage, so after paying for a small apartment you are only left with 14,000 SEK. Food is expensive, you will probably spend 6000 per month if you dont have any alcohol. Maybe you think you can own a car with the money you have left? Forget it! Parking is 100 SEK/hour in Stockholm and its almost impossible to find parking, forget commuting to work with a car, its either the bus or subway unless you are a multi millionaire. So the lifestyle you will have in Stockholm as a software engineer is WAY WORSE in comparison to a software engineer in USA, China, Russia etc.

I lived 10 years back in Stockholm as a student.

I am reading the comments below which reflects a lot of hate and racisim, I am not sure If people who are throughing those comments has experienced what they are complaining about. I am as Arab felt offended and I can say that it is not true that Arabs bring crime, hundreds of thousands of Arabs are living in Sweden since 10s of years and Safety was not an issue, so what changed.

I am proud that many of Arabs are contributing in Sweeden culture and diversify it.

hey i'm from somalia and live in sweden. great place. I have a swedish wife and 6 kids from her. I earn 43k sek per month and it's enoung for us to live.

I just got a 50k SEK (before tax) in Stockholm offer. How is this for a single person living there?

One honest message to all who plan come to Sweden for work, just don't and educate yourself before you consider. Swedish people are moving out Sweden because has one of worlds most highest tax on salary or making money. I'm actually one among them. You got nothing back from the society once you need it in term of social help, it takes ages when you deal with authorities.

The true facts about Sweden in general are these:

- Extremely high housing shortage. (You will have a very hard time finding an apartment but there are subleases and it is from people who take advantage of the housing shortage so they take triple rents ..A simple 1 room around city center cost minimum 12.000 SEK and outside cost minimum 8000 SEK).
- High crime rate, gang shootings, rape so be careful about which area you choose in Stockholm or major cities to visit or settle in.
-You will pay a sky-high tax but get a poorer standard of living because everything cost of living are expensive. Switzerland or Norway are also expensive too, but I think you get more for your money than living and working in Sweden. The two countries have at least better nature and a higher quality of life than Sweden.

Although the western world are way to fall. Move to another country where you are treated well if you are interested in making money or for work. And also a warmer country with more sunlight if you don't wanna get depressed.

1300 euros/month plus bills for a mini flat like shoe box, and average salary 2400 euros/month, lol no thanks.