If you search through our blogs you might see that each year we tease out the costs involved in living as a student in Stockholm. This year is no different. Here I’m going to run through some of the things I’ve learned in the past year about the money you’ll need when you come to study at KTH.
Stockholm might have the reputation of being an expensive city to live in, but I’d rather say that Stockholm can be an expensive city to live in. If you’re careful with you finances, you can definitely live here without spending too much money. My fellow blogger Claire has written a post before on 5 ways to save money in Stockholm, so I’d definitely recommend giving that a read.
Myself, I found that I spent a lot of money when I moved over first but as soon as I settled in and learned the tricks, I began to save money and live a relatively inexpensive life. This is just a personal reflection as to what I’ve seen but hopefully it can be helpful!
Accommodation – 3300 SEK/month
Living in a student corridor room with a shared kitchen, my accommodation is particularly inexpensive. For comparison, I was paying twice as much for a similar situation when I lived in Dublin. Most of my friends live in single or double-room campus accommodations. These are closer to 6000 – 7000 SEK/ month, so I’ve definitely chosen a cheaper option, but for me it’s perfect.
Public Transport – 650 SEK/ month
One thing I can say for certain is that Stockholm’s public transport is great. It’s quick, clean and reliable. The monthly student card gets you unlimited access to all the trains, metros, buses and boats you could need around the city. I usually only pay for this card over the winter months. In the summer I prefer to cycle and then buy single tickets when I need them.
Grocery Shopping & Food – 2000 SEK/ month
There is a selection of more and less expensive grocery shops and then more and less expensive brands when you go shopping too. This means the cost can vary a lot depending on your tastes. Eating out can be pricey though, so making food at home always pays off.
Monthly Subscriptions – 400 SEK/ month
Phone: 200kr, School Softwares: 100kr, Spotify: 65kr, Bank Account: 35kr
Your monthly subscriptions will be different depending on your habits. For me, I was surprised that I had to pay monthly charge for a bank account, though it’s not too much. Another common subscription could be gym memberships which are usually around 250kr per month.
Recreation 1000 SEK/ month
This is where you can either spend or save a lot of money. Whether it’s drinks, restaurants, or cinemas, in Stockholm, these things will cost you money. If you’re smart about it, you’ll see that most students socialise at home or at the student accomodations. Going to student union social events is also a good idea and usually much cheaper. My friend Valerie posted before about free things to do in Stockholm and these are good to keep in mind if your on a budget!
My Monthly Cost of Living
Accomodation: 3,300
Public Transport: 650
Food: 2000
Monthly Subscriptions: 400
Recreation: 1,000
Total: 7,350 SEK
Over on the KTH website you can find a standard calculation of the cost of living for students, but of course these can always differ and change. I hope these can help you plan your future finances! Feel free to check out last year’s post for more info, or comment below if you have any questions!
~ Declan