Cost of living
What a salary buys, where the money quietly goes, and why everyone has a Willys loyalty card.
Sweden is expensive in some places and surprisingly reasonable in others. Rent and restaurants take the biggest bites; healthcare, education and childcare barely register.
A rough monthly picture
For one person in Stockholm: 10,000–15,000 SEK for a small flat, around 1,100 SEK for the transit card, 3,000–4,000 SEK for groceries if you cook, and 65 SEK every time fika happens (it will happen daily). Göteborg and Malmö run noticeably cheaper, and smaller towns cheaper still.
Where Swedes save
Lunch out is the daily affordable luxury — dagens rätt gets you a full meal with salad, bread and coffee. Groceries: Willys and Lidl beat ICA on price. Alcohol is a state monopoly (Systembolaget) and priced accordingly; most people simply drink less and host more.