The most beautiful cities in Sweden

Sweden is a country of rare beauty, even amid its starkest northern landscapes. Its cities and towns testify to 1000 years of urban life, but there are precious places offering glimpses into even older traditions of human settlement.

Costs

International comparisons

Scandinavian countries are not cheap, but Sweden is marginally less expensive than Norway or Denmark. In 2025 the expat statistical website Numbeo rated Sweden the 25th most expensive country in the world (no.14 in Europe). Internationally, Stockholm is overall on a similar cost level to Sydney, Hamburg, Munich and Edinburgh. Based on Numbeo’s index, it is a fraction cheaper than Amsterdam and Paris and marginally more expensive than Helsinki and Dublin.

Swedish comparisons

Numbeo rated Stockholm as more expensive than Gothenburg, Malmö or Lund. Cities such as Norrköping, Jönköping and Helsingborg are less expensive.

Costs tips

On 2025 costs, most hamburger meals are in the 140-150kr range, although some come in a little cheaper. For bottled water, it should not be necessary to pay more than 11kr for a half-litre bottle of water in big cities – this is the going rate in discount supermarkets. It’s easy to pay twice this at a convenience store or chain cafe.

Lidl and Willys supermarkets generally offer goods at lower prices, while ICA or Coop are a little more expensive on most items but have some store brands.

The cost of a regular-sized cappuccino in Stockholm came in at just under 50kr.

Value-added taxes & refunds

The Swedish value-added tax (mervärdesskatt, colloquially moms) is 25% on most classes of goods, but 12% on food and accommodation and 6% on transport, concerts, books and newspapers.