Swedish students' budgets squeezed by soaring rent and food costs

A new Lendo report shows that Swedish students are spending almost all of their income on rent and food. In Stockholm, housing consumes about 63 % of a student’s budget, with similar shares in Gothenburg, Lund and Uppsala. After paying rent and groceries, the average student is left with roughly 347 SEK per month, even when receiving a housing grant of about 1 300 SEK.

Students report severe financial strain. "When you’ve lived on noodles for a week and finally get a salad, your body screams ‘finally’," said 25‑year‑old student Alexandra Berntling. Her peer Valentin Rodikov added that finding a part‑time job compatible with full‑time studies is difficult. Earnings above the free‑income limit of 114 676 SEK can lead to reduced student aid or repayment obligations to CSN. The government has launched an investigation to consider exempting summer‑time earnings from the income test.

The findings highlight that rent and food price increases have outpaced general inflation, putting many students at risk of financial hardship.