I ended up in Stockholm on a serendipitous layover, which I decided to extend for a few days. Although I went there with almost no expectations, I would now rank it as one of my favourite European cities. Sweden is one of those countries that travelers tend to overlook, mainly because they’ve heard it’s extremely expensive. Stockholm definitely isn’t a cheap city, but I think it’s possible to see pretty much any place on a budget. Here are some of the strategies I used to rock Stockholm on a budget.
Couchsurfing is almost always a fantastic way to dramatically cut costs in an expensive city. Aside from sparing you the price of accommodation, the hosts can often provide tips on affordable things to see and do in the area. Plus, who doesn’t love making new friends around the world?
Unfortunately, Brent and I didn’t have any luck finding a Couchsurfing host in Stockholm. After some initial accommodation research, I discovered that even dorm room beds were about $25 per person. I have no doubt these hostels were probably awesome, but $50 for the two of us seemed pretty expensive for sleeping on bunk beds and sharing a bathroom with four other people.
We ended up finding an AirBnB rental with a small private room and a bathroom shared with only one other guest for much less than the price of two dorm room beds. Airbnb is a great option to see Stockholm on a budget. More importantly, we had full access to a kitchen, which was an extremely important aspect of my next cost-saving strategy….
Food and Drink
At the airport in Stockholm, we picked up a few tourist brochures that suggested “budget-friendly” restaurants where we could get meals for about $18 a plate. Since $18 isn’t what I would consider an affordable meal, eating out every night wasn’t really an option for us if we wanted to see Stockholm on a budget.
Instead, we pretty much lived at Lidl, a German chain of discount supermarkets. In the morning, we went there to pick up fresh bread or fruit for breakfast before going sightseeing, and then we’d return later in the day to buy ingredients for cooking dinner at our AirBnB rental. Our host was even nice enough to let us use some of her Tupperware, so we could bring leftovers to snack on as we explored the following day.
We did, however, want to try Swedish food at least once (although we heard that most Swedish people actually don’t even like traditional Swedish food), so we followed a recommendation to check out a street stand called Nystekt Strömming, which is located right outside Slussen Station. The stall sells fried herring along with a number of a choice of sides like ligonberry and beetroot for about $5-10 a plate. We also brought a few kanelbullar (Swedish cinnamon rolls) from Lidl for dessert.
Drinking also tends to be relatively expensive in Sweden, so we made it our mission to find the cheapest Happy Hours in the city. It was pretty easy to find bars selling pints, wine, and co*cktails early in the evening for about $3-4 each.
Activities
This paragraph might read a little bit like an ad for Free Tour Stockholm (it’s not!), but I thought their tours were incredibly fun and informative. Each walking tour lasts for about 1.5 hours and focuses on a different neighbourhood. The tours really made me feel like I understood Stockholm’s culture a little better – both past and present – plus gave me ideas for places I wanted to revisit on my own later. The guides also often pointed out which attractions and museums were worth paying the admission fee to see.
To be fair, Free Tour Stockholm isn’t completely free. The guides only make money through tips and I definitely didn’t feel comfortable walking away without giving something. Even still, you can just pay whatever you can afford, and I think it’s still amazing value.
Also, in case you didn’t already know, Stockholm is insanely beautiful. It’s truly one of those places where you can just go wandering through the streets and be fully entertained without having to pay anything at all.
Do you have any other tips to rock Stockholm on a budget?
Looking for Budget Accommodation in Stockholm? Why Not Try Some of These Places…
City Hostel is a large and modern hostel in the heart of Stockholm. This budget hostel is perfect for social travelers with its large common room and is located walking distance to the subway.
Castanea Old Town Hostel is located in the heart of old town Stockholm. This centrally located hostel is perfect for someone looking for a quiet, clean place to stay in the middle of it all.
If you are looking for a modern quirky and social hostel why not try Generator Stockholm. This hostel boasts a cafe, Bar Himla for modern co*cktails, and rooms ranging from studios, dorms, and even family rooms.
Prices in Stockholm rival that of most of Western Europe's capital cities and while the cost of living may be high, it's actually not too expensive to travel Stockholm on a budget. We've laid out the average daily costs of accommodation, food, activities and transportation in Stockholm in 2024 below.
For budget travelers, it's reasonable to expect to spend around $80 to $100 per day in Sweden, including accommodation, transportation, meals, and some activities. On the other hand, mid-range travelers can expect to spend approximately $150 to $200 per day.
A standard dinner in an inexpensive restaurant will cost 30-35 euros (300-400 kroner) per person, a 3-course dinner in a middle-class restaurant will cost 70 euros (800 kroner). The cost of a cappuccino is 2.75-4.5 euros (30-50 kroner), a 0.5 liter bottle of beer from 4.5 to 7 euros (50 to 75 Swedish kronor).
It grew rapidly as a result of a trade agreement made with the German city of Lübeck. This agreement ensured Lübeck merchants freedom from customs charges for their trade in Sweden, as well as the right to settle there. The city came to be officially regarded as the Swedish capital in 1436.
The cost of traveling to Sweden depends on a number of factors, including the time of year you travel, the length of your stay, and your budget. However, in general, you can expect to spend around \$1,500 per week for a budget trip to Sweden. This includes the cost of flights, accommodation, food, and transportation.
Any major European city is expensive and Stockholm is by no means exceptional. Some things are expensive, others not so in comparison. To cut costs I would say that you should eat your main meal in the middle of the day. Most restaurants offer "todays's special" between 11am and 2pm for around €10.
The different currencies can generally not be used across the borders. In Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland, Euro and US Dollars might be accepted by bigger hotel chains but they are not commonly accepted.
The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Stockholm, for example, is around 13,000 SEK (around 1,350 USD), while a three-bedroom apartment can cost around 19,000 SEK (around 2,000 USD). However, prices can vary depending on the neighborhood. What is the minimum rent in Sweden?
Bear in mind that Swedes eat early; lunch will be served from 11am, dinner from 6pm. It's always a good idea to book a table to avoid disappointment, particularly during the summer months of June to August when tables can be at a premium.
In 2018, consumers had to spent on average 84.89 Swedish kronor for a Vesuvio pizza from a pizzeria in Sweden's capital Stockholm. Average pizza prices were also very high in Umeå, Norrköping and Uppsala.
In Sweden, the number of single-person households increased from 2012 to 2022, reaching over two million in 2022. The total number of households in Sweden has been growing constantly and amounted to over 4.8 million in 2021, housing 10.45 million inhabitants.
The Old English name for Sweden was Swēoland or Swēorīċe, land or kingdom of the Swēon, whereas the Germanic tribe of the Swedes was called Svíþjóð in Old Norse. The latter is a compositum consisting of Sví which means Swedish and þjóð which means people.
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In some parts of northern Sweden, Sami and Tornedal Finnish (Meänkieli) are spoken. There are five official minority languages: Sami and Tornedal Finnish (autochthonous languages) and Finnish, Romany and Yiddish (non-territorial languages).
Three days is a perfect amount of time to visit the Swedish capital, because it gives you a chance to explore the center and its closest islands as well as taking a day trip somewhere further out. Our 3-day Stockholm itinerary takes in: Gamla Stan.
Entertainment and activities in Stockholm typically cost an average of $25 (kr272) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
No cash needed: There's no need to exchange a lot of currency – Stockholm is in large parts a cash-free city. Although you'll find ATMs (recognized by teal/blue-green-colored signs reading "Bankomat"), many restaurants, shops, and hotels don't accept bills or coins.
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