How much do you need to earn to live in Stockholm? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for Sweden's tax system.
You need at least kr21,549/month gross to live in Stockholm on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for kr33,138/month gross (kr25,917 net after ~22% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | kr8,800 Cheapest neighborhood (Husby) | kr16,000 Median neighborhood | kr28,000 Premium neighborhood (Östermalm) |
| Groceries | kr3,500 | kr4,200 | kr5,250 |
| Transport | kr1,070 | kr1,070 | kr1,070 |
| Utilities | kr2,558 | kr2,558 | kr2,558 |
| Dining & Entertainment | kr1,740 | kr2,088 | kr2,610 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | kr17,668 | kr25,916 | kr39,488 |
kr21,549/month gross
kr33,138/month gross
kr52,110/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 17 neighborhoods in Stockholm
Husby
25 min by metro
kr8,800 - kr10,700
Flemingsberg
30 min by train
kr10,000 - kr12,200
Skarpnäck
30 min by metro
kr10,700 - kr12,300
Östermalm
8 min by metro
kr26,000 - kr30,000
Norrmalm
5 min by walk
kr21,900 - kr25,100
Gamla Stan
5 min by walk
kr20,900 - kr24,100
See all 17 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore StockholmEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after Sweden's income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least kr21,549/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Stockholm. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for kr33,138/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Sweden.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 17 neighborhoods in Stockholm is approximately kr16,794/month. Rents range from kr8,800 in Husby to kr30,000 in Östermalm.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Stockholm cost approximately kr3,500. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Sweden are progressive. At the budget salary level of kr21,549/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 18%. At the comfortable level of kr33,138/month, it rises to approximately 22%. This includes income tax and social contributions.