Cost of Living in Sweden – 2020

The first question I asked my seniors and the one question I get asked the most from students who want to study at KTH is

“How expensive is Sweden?”
And the answer I usually give is “Its as expensive and inexpensive as you want it to be.”

So, I thought of writing about my monthly expenses so far that will give you an idea about the cost of living here in Sweden. In the summary, I and Elise have both put in our monthly expenditures so that you would how the expenses change with everyone.  

1. Accommodation: The major part of the expenditure is towards the housing sector. Based on the kind of accommodation that you choose the rates can vary. At Lappis the current monthly rent with a contract with KTH is 4500 sek. This includes water, electricity and internet connection. Next month I would be moving to another room in Lappis with SSSB accommodation and the rent would decrease to 3800 sek.

2. Groceries and Food: The next contributor to our expenses is the groceries. There are lots of student-friendly supermarkets across the city such as lidl and willys where the prices remain the same throughout the year with frequent offers on selected essential goods. The average monthly expenses on groceries is around 800 sek.

3. Transportation: Stockholm has arguably the best connectivity across the city. Students with a student union card get around 30% discount on the monthly and quarterly transportation card (SL card). The best part is the unlimited travel we get with the pass. A monthly student card will cost is 610 sek.
Alternatively, you can buy a bicycle during the summer and save money on the card.

4. Mobile services: The standard network subscribers such as lyca, hallon charge around 100 sek/month. I don’t use more than 3gb of data every month since I had wifi connection at home and on campus. It is up to you to decide your plan and preferences based on your needs.

5. GYM: Lappis has its own gym where they charge 800 sek for a year. There are gyms on KTH campus as well and across the city. The rates differ based on the gym and plan you choose.

6. Leisure/ Miscellaneous: Occasional outing with friends, or drinking/eating out, or shopping and buying things for your house and other expenditures fall under this category. My average expenses in this section is around 600 sek monthly.

7. Insurance: For all international fee-paying students the medical insurance is provided by KTH which is included in the semester fee. Since it already covers any emergency medical expenses within Sweden, I haven’t invested in additional insurance policies. However, some students do invest in having home insurance which would add cost around 70 – 100 sek per month.

The expenses can vary between 5000 sek to 10,000 sek depending on the lifestyle and preferences of a student. There are a lot of tips on saving money which I will deal with in another blog. Like I said in the beginning, Sweden can be as expensive and as inexpensive as you want it to be.

Do let us know in the comment section tips on surviving on a limited budget as a student. Feel free to comment any queries and questions.

Hej, I am from India currently pursuing Integrated Product Design at KTH. Moving to Stockholm has given me an opportunity to explore the new city like a local yet maintain the awe of a traveler. The vibrant KTH campus and its activities are itself a treat to a creative and aspiring mind. Join me on this journey of stories as we meet amazing people, exploring the innovation and sustainability pursuits happening throughout the KTH campus and the historical treasures of the city and the ways of employing jugaad to survive on a budget in one of the most expensive cities.

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