Is it expensive in Stockholm? - How We Travel gives an opinion (2024)

Is it expensive in Stockholm? Well that sort of depends on you, what you’re used to and perhaps where you’re from. For example it can be more expensive than the UK. But like with everything there are different ways of doing things. You could spend a lot of money here but you could also have a budget break. You usually get what you pay for but you can pick up some bargains too.

Stockholm is a really nice city. The capital of Sweden, it’s packed with everything you’d expect from a major city. History, shops, restaurants, parks, hotels and museums. There are also some fantastic Cathedrals and churches. And lots of these are free. But you want to know is it expensive in Stockholm? Well we’ve got some information to help you decide.

The currency of Stockholm is the Swedish Krona and you can get it from the Post Office. Both cash and cards are widely accepted here.

In terms of costs, Stockholm is slightly more expensive than the UK for some things but lots of things in Stockholm are free! These include entry to the Swedish Parliament, Art on the Underground and some, but not all, of the Museums.

The food in Stockholm is really good and meatballs are a particular favourite. Some restauarants can be fairly expensive with main courses at around £18 to £20 plus in the evening. This is one place where it’s noticeably cheaper to eat at lunchtime with a main course then closer to £12 per person.

But you can also come across some bargains like Nybrogrillen in Nybrokajen where we got meatballs, mash and lingonberry jam for just 98SEK (£8.30) per person. It’s an outdoor cafe where you can also get ice cream for 30SEK (£2.70).

There are lots of small cafes, coffee shops and bakeries in and around Gamla Stan. As this is a tourist hot-spot some can be quite expensive. Whilst delicious, acake in one of the bakeries in Gamla Stan will set you back around 80SEK (£7) to take away!

By contrast you can pick up a cake in a Pressbyran store for a fraction of that price. A chain of convenience stores that sell magazines and convenience foods and drinks, you’ll find them all over the city. They also sell tobacco and tickets for public transport. Whilst they offer better value than other shops in Stockholm they are not necessarily cheaper than the UK for example. A bottle of water cost 25 SEK (£2.25) from here.

There are plenty of fast food options such as MacDonalds, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken. The menus do differ slightly to what you can get in the UK and this can be a good thing as there may be items you’ve not tried before. In terms of cost fast food outlets and restaurants are reasonably priced and on a par with other fast food chains in the UK. Prices are around £5 per person.

It is easy to get around Stockholm by foot, which of course, is free! It’s usually the best way to get around a city, if possible, in order to see the most of it.

Many people use bicycles in Stockholm and there are designated cycle lanes. It is possible to hire bicycles here. Citybike hire costs 90 SEK for an hour or 290 SEK for a full day.

Stockholm Public Transport (commonly referred to as SL) runs the public transport system in Stockholm. 24 and 72 hour SL tickets are available to visitors which allow use of the Metro, commuter rail, trams, light railway and two commuter ferries. The 72 hour pass cost 250 SEK per adult and 170 SEK per child. Using the tickets is a very convenient way of paying for transport and all methods of transport are easy to understand and find. Tickets can be purchased at SL Centres, Metro and train stations, the Airport and Ticket Agents such as Pressbyran stores and some hotels. www.sl.se/en

To and from the Airport you can take the Arlanda Express and tickets can be bought online at Arlanda Express website in advance. Return tickets for two adults cost £63 (700 SEK). Children between the ages of 8 – 17 travel free. It’s and incredibly fast and efficient service and a convenient way of getting from the Airport to the city centre or back. A 15 minute ride withTaxi Stockholm to or from the airport or anywhere else costs around £13 (including tip) which can be well worth it for the convenience.

Stockholm is a very compact City. Walking around and enjoying its architecture is an attraction in itself and it’s free! In particular Stortorget is a small but stunning square in the middle of Gamla Stan. One of the oldest in Stockholm it’s home to Nobelmuseet (History of the Nobel Prize and its winners).

Other free things to see are the Swedish Parliament, Art on the Underground, some Museums and the Katarinahissen Gondolen.

Djurgarden is home to some of the City’s Museums it is a green area with excellent walks and views. Other green spaces are Kungstradgarden which hosts many activities in summer and winter.

Entry to The VASA Museum cost 150 SEK for adults and under 18s are free. This is well worth the entry fee and you could spend a good few hours here.www.vasamuseet.se/en

In comparison, the Abba Museumcost 250 SEK for adults and 95 SEK for children between 7 – 15 years.www.abbathemuseum.com/en

At Stadshuset City Hall you can take a guided tour of the City Hall which now contain government offices. There is a charge which depends on the season visiting. Between April and October charges are 120 SEK for adults and 40 SEK for children between 7 – 19, students and seniors are charged at 80SEK. It’s free to walk around the grounds though and there are some incredible views from here. www.cityhall.stockholm/visit-the-city-hall/

The Royal Palace is on the north corner of Gamla Stan and is open to visitors. Entry fees, which include a guided tour 160 SEK (£14)for adultsand 80 SEK (£7) for children between 7-17 years of age.www.kungligaslotten.se/english