How to Visit Stockholm on a Budget: A Full Spending Diary

Think you can’t afford to visit the country that’s been on your bucket list FOREVER? I might just be able to help…a couple of months back, I shared a post about visiting Iceland on a budget. In it, I gave a run down of exactly what I spent – the actual costs involved when visiting an expensive European country with limited budget. It went down a storm with people who’d previously thought the country was beyond their budget, and it inspired me to share more places that are often considered pricey. This time round? Time to visit Sweden’s capital, Stockholm on a budget.

Although it’s perhaps not AS expensive as Scandinavian counterparts of Copenhagen, Helsinki and Oslo (which are all on my radar, btw), Stockholm still has a rep for being a lil priceyyy. But as a solo traveller, I think I made the most of my budget – here’s a run-down on exactly what I spent…

Contents: How To Visit Stockholm on a Budget show

Spending a quick weekend in Stockholm? Check out my two day Stockholm itinerary, for the best attractions, where to stay, and what to eat!

Flights and Transfers – £62.21

Street in Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town

Flights – £32.70,RyanAir

Like most of my trips, cheap flights were the catalyst to my Stockholm visit. For a measly £32.70, I was able to get return flights to Stockholm Skavsta Airport.

Speedy Boarding Upgrade – £6

This was actually the first time I’ve EVER paid for anything extra on a flight, and the sole reason I did it was to get out of the airport quicker at the other end on the way back to London. Since RyanAir have changed their baggage policy, I’d have had to put my backpack in the hold – and arriving back late on Tuesday night, I ain’t got time to wait around, I want my bed.

Return Airport Transfers – £23.51

The one slight problem with Stockholm Skavsta Airport is that you’re actually about 80 minutes away from the city centre itself. Luckily, the Flygbussarna airport bus service is pretty affordable, and runs in time with your arriving and departing flights rather than a fixed daily schedule.

Budget Acommodation in Stockholm – £49.92

Exterior of Red Boat Hotel Hostel in Stockholm, Sweden

The Red Boat Hotel & Hostel – £49.92 (for 2 nights)

I love me some boat action, and when I found out I could stay on one, I was sold. Add to that the fact I had my own room, for less than £25 per night, The Red Boat Hotel & Hostel was a clear winning choice. The room was small and basic, and you could hear other people coming and going quite easily, but it was just what I needed for my cheap city break. With the average 3* hotel room apparently coming in at around £70-£100 per night, I think I managed to get myself some total bargain accommodation!

STOCKHOLM ON A BUDGET TIP: If you can, avoid weekend stays – the hotel prices shoot up!

Budget Attractions in Stockholm – £58.72

Skansen Open Air Museum, Stockholm, Sweden

Most of the attractions in Stockholm I visited were free – check out my post on the best free things to do in Stockholm for loads of suggestions for budget-friendly attractions.

2 x Metro Tickets – £7.36

Even though most of my exploring was done on foot, I ended up purchasing two 80 minute Metro tickets so I could check out Stockholm’s Metro station artwork. Which is why I’ve put this under attractions, rather than transport! Believe me, it’s very much worth the spend.

Royal Canal Boat Tour – £17.71

One of the things I really wanted to do, with Stockholm being an impressive archipelago, was get out onto a boat and see the city from the canals. Using my Expedia member discount, I got a good deal on a boat tour, which I found really enjoyable and informative. Plus, I discovered STOCKHOLM HAS A THEME PARK.

Gamla Stan Free Walking Tour – £5 (tip)

The Gamla Stan walking tour wasn’t the best I’ve been on, but it was good to find out more about the gorgeous Old Town area, and I always make sure I tip something on free walking tours.

Stockholm Ghost Walk – £18.26

I hadn’t actually planned this into my itinerary, but I’m really glad I did this one. I love anything a bit spooky, and it was a really interesting tour – informative, entertaining and at points, genuinely pretty scary.

Skansen Open Air Museum – £10.39

Another unplanned attraction, but one worth visiting. The world’s first open air musuem gives an insight into Swedish history, with a full on old-fashioned Swedish town to potter around, and lots of open space to walk around in.

STOCKHOLM ON A BUDGET TIP: If you’re thinking about visiting multiple paid attractions, check out the Stockholm Pass, which starts at around £55 for one day and offers free entry to loads of places you’d otherwise pay for.

Food & Drink – £72.76

Meatballs with Mac and Cheese at Meatballs For The People, Stockholm | Cheap Food in Stockholm

Unlike in Iceland, where I mostly shopped in supermarkets, I ate quite a few meals out – check out my full post on cheap food in Stockholm if you want some inspo!

Breakfasts were all a box of granola bars I’d bought in the UK before I left, at a grand total of £2 from Tesco.

Day 1: I’d gone classic Milly and grabbed myself a Boots cheese sarnie at the airport, which meant my lunch on arrival in Stockholm cost me exactly £1. For dinner, I picked up a burger, chips and beer at Flippin Burgers (£15.81).

Day 2: Lunch was a super cheap one at just £4.99, stopping by Ostermalms Korvspecialist for one of the most amazing sausage-in-bread things I’ve ever had in my life. It beats Icelandic hotdogs, hands down. I treated myself to an amazing Snow Latte in a coffee shop with was kinda pricey at £5.81 – but it was delicious. A portion of Meatballs with Mac and Cheese and a beer (£17.47) made for a delicious Swedish dinner. Oh, and I had a really good chocolate brownie from 7-Eleven that was £1.75.

Day 3: With no lunch plans, I stumbled upon Magnus Ladulas, where a huge portion of bacon and potato pancakes with unlimited soup and sides, plus a Diet Coke, cost me just £11.63. I ended up having a below average burger and some TERRIBLE chips at the airport on the way home that cost me £12.30, which I do not advise EVER.

STOCKHOLM ON A BUDGET TIP: To make it even cheaper, you could cut out the beers…but where’s the fun in that?

Souvenirs – £1.66

I bought a magnet, as usual. It was £1.66.

How To Visit Stockholm on a Budget: What I Actually Spent