How much do you need to earn to live here, after Sweden takes its share?
Here's the gross monthly salary that covers rent, food, transport, and utilities once Sweden's tax system has taken its cut. (2026)
The floor in Stockholm is roughly kr21,587/month gross, on a lean budget.
For something that feels comfortable, think kr33,211/month gross (kr25,916 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 |
kr21,587/month gross
kr33,211/month gross
kr52,249/month gross
Second-hand 1BR 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
All 17 neighborhoods, the full expense sheet, and what you could save.
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We add up monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then work backwards to find the gross salary that lands on that number after Sweden's income tax and social contributions. Rent data reflects second-hand listings, which is what expats actually pay. All figures come from 2026 official government statistics. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least kr21,587/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Stockholm. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for kr33,211/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 kr21,587/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 18%. At the comfortable level of kr33,211/month, it rises to approximately 22%. This includes income tax and social contributions.