For meals, transport, tips - whats the safe amount to carry in Sweden ? Trying to plan a daily budget for a month long trip
Just wrapped up a three-week trip through Sweden and my average spend was about 550 SEK per day. That included SL metro in Stockholm, Bolt rides occasionally, meals at mid-range restaurants (around 150-200 SEK each), and lots of take-away coffee. Didn’t tip beyond rounding up the card payment. I’d say budget higher if you plan on eating out a lot or taking intercity trains- a trip from Stockholm to Gothenburg on SJ can cost 300-600 SEK depending on timing. If you're smart with public transport passes and mix in grocery-store meals, 500-650 SEK daily should do the trick.
Traveled solo through northern Sweden- Kiruna, Luleå, and back to Stockholm. Prices were pretty consistent across cities. I aimed for 700 SEK per day and that gave me room to eat out once, buy groceries, take buses or SJ regional trains, and visit a museum or two. Local transport varies, some days I walked, other days I bought 24-hour tickets for 130 SEK. Food at restaurants can be pricey, so I stuck to hostel kitchens half the time. No real tipping culture here either, unless you’re at a fancier place. Sweden’s not cheap but you get what you pay for -clean, reliable, and easy.
I spent a month in Gothenburg last spring and lived on about 450 SEK a day comfortably. Public transport with Västtrafik cost me around 35 SEK per ride or about 300 SEK per week with a travel card. Groceries from ICA and Coop helped cut down meal costs, and a casual meal out was about 120-180 SEK. Didn’t use cash once and tipping was super relaxed, no one expects it, maybe round up or leave 10 SEK at best. Sweden’s very cashless and easy to manage with just cards, but the prices add up fast. Budget 500-600 SEK/day and you’re safe.
Just got back from a 2-week trip across Stockholm, Uppsala, and Malmö. Sweden isn’t cheap but it’s manageable if you plan well. I budgeted around 600 SEK per day and it worked fine. That covered a metro pass in Stockholm, one proper sit-down meal (about 150-200 SEK), coffee or fika (40-60 SEK), groceries or snacks, and the occasional museum entry. I didn’t tip much, maybe rounded up the bill at restaurants when service was great. Most places include service charge already. So I’d say 500-700 SEK daily is a safe average depending on how often you eat out or travel.